Member Article

Ground broken on 161 new homes for Salford

Salix Homes is excited to announce construction work has started on 161 new two, three and four bedroom homes in Salford.

The Poet’s development, located on the Beechfarm Estate, in Swinton, is the housing association’s first house building development since becoming a stand-alone registered housing provider last year.

A total of 146 houses, affected by historic issues, are to be demolished and replaced by 161 new and modern homes in phases. 120 of these homes will be prioritised for our current tenants living in the properties that are affected.

The remaining 41 will be for sale or shared ownership.

Salix Homes and contractors Galliford Try Partnerships (GTP) marked the beginning of construction work with a ground-breaking ceremony this week, which included the support of Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, Swinton North ward councillors and Councillor Paul Longshaw, Salford’s lead member for housing and neighbourhoods.

Salix Homes is committed to building and improving good quality and affordable homes across all of Salford. Between 2015 and 2020 the housing association will have invested £75 million into local homes and communities to ensure that every property meets the Government’s Decent Homes standard.

Lee Sugden, chief executive of Salix Homes, said: “We made a promise to the Poet’s Estate Steering Group and tenants who live on the estate that we would deliver this development.

“We’re excited that construction work is now underway and we will continue to work very closely with the residents and the council every step of the way until every single home is complete.

“We firmly believe that our significant investment in this community will help deliver much-needed new housing for the area and provide modern homes that residents can be proud of living in.”

The affected homes on the Poet’s development are located on the aptly-named Blantyre Street, Shakespeare Road, Stevenson Road, Tennyson Road, Kingsley Road and Wordsworth Road.

If you’re interested in finding out more details about the new homes please call 0800 218 2000.

Galliford Try Partnerships is carrying out the work on the first two phases of the development, which will see 60 properties demolished and 70 new homes built – along with improvements to the street scene and environment. The housing and regeneration specialists are also supporting Salix Homes’ commitment to support one local person into work or training every day of the year by 2020.

Brendan Blythe, managing director of Galliford Try Partnerships North West, said: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Salix Homes on this important scheme for the region.

“We are also excited to be assisting them in their commitments to support one local person into work or training every day of the year by 2020 as part of the scheme in Swinton, something which we are very passionate about.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor commented: “These new homes on The Poet’s development are a long time coming and this is real testament to the patience and the hard work of local residents working alongside local councillors Jim Dawson, Bill Hinds and Derek Antrobus.

“I am delighted to see work has started on brand new, modern homes and that existing tenants and residents will be supported all the way until they settle in their new homes.”

“I make no bones about my strong ambitions for housing in our city. By working in collaboration with housing partners and the Homes and Communities Agency, the council will continue to push hard to enable the delivery of a larger number of quality decent rented homes at a price people can afford.”

Councillor Paul Longshaw, Salford’s lead member for housing and neighbourhoods, added: “Salix Homes’ tenants and customers voted for more investment into existing homes and for new homes to be built.

“I am extremely pleased to see a spade in the ground and new homes being built by Salix Homes so soon after they were fully established as a different type of housing association, a Community Benefit Society. I would like to see this development as the first of many more, by and with, Salix Homes.”

The whole of the scheme is expected to be completed by summer 2019.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hayley Collins .