A £4m First Choice Homes Oldham scheme comprising 16 new affordable and eco-friendly family homes in Middleton has been completed.
The super-green properties have transformed a brownfield site off Oldham Road.
First Choice Homes (FCHO) worked with KMM Homes as the main contractor for the mixed tenure project which benefited from a £0.7m Homes England Grant.
The 16 high quality sustainable homes include six two-bedroom and two three-bedroom houses for affordable rent, which means tenants can enjoy rent rates set at no more than 80% of the local market rent. These homes have been allocated via Rochdale Council’s housing register.
The remaining properties are made up of six four-bedroom and two three-bedroom homes for shared ownership. This offers people the chance to buy an initial share of a home and pay rent on the rest. They can then buy more shares in their home in the future, as and when they can afford it.
To further demonstration FCHO’s green focus, all 16 homes have a raft of sustainability features. These include timber frame construction; low carbon electric heating and hot water systems; highly energy efficient windows; high-performing wall and roof insulation to prevent heat loss and ensure all year-round comfort.
All homes have achieved a “B” rating for Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) bands – meaning they are exceeding the minimum C band rating standard government officials have encouraged landlords to work towards where possible.
The eco-friendly nature also extends to outside the homes, with the development including landscaping and tree planting to promote biodiversity, alongside bat and bird boxes.
This is the second project FCHO has worked on with KMM Homes, after coming together to deliver the Ridge Hill scheme in Stalybridge with the Grassmoor development creating eight affordable four-bedroom houses last year.
The development is part of FCHO’s wider £160m investment to build 1,100 affordable, green homes in Oldham and surrounding areas between 2020 and 2026 to improve the lives of local people.
