Representatives from partnership homes developer Lovell, Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council celebrated the start of construction on a major home development, Ymyl Yr Afon, near Merthyr Tydfil with a breaking-ground ceremony.
The ceremony marked the beginning of work to reinvigorate the site of the former Merthyr Vale Colliery with 153 new homes.
The £25m development will create 110 two-, three- and four-bedroom homes for open market sale and 43 one-, two-, three- and four-bed affordable houses and apartments on the land which lies close to the River Taff at Merthyr Vale, between Merthyr Tydfil and Aberfan.
Pictured above celebrating the breaking-ground event from left to right are, Lovell Regional Managing Director Kate Rees; Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Leader Cllr Kevin O’Neill; Gareth Chapman, Chief Executive, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council; Mayor of Merthyr Tydfil, Cllr Clive Tovey; Ian Bell, Chair of Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association; Karen Courts, Chief Executive, Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association.
Lovell Regional Managing Director Kate Rees said: “We’re delighted to have celebrated this key moment in the transformation of Merthyr Vale. Ymyl Yr Afon is the exciting next phase in the regeneration of the former colliery site and will bring much-needed high-quality new homes both for sale and for affordable rent to this land which has lain empty for a number of years.
“This is going to be a great place to live, offering attractive, modern homes for people across a wide range of incomes. Together with our partners, Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, we are extremely pleased that work is getting under way and look forward to helping this impressive new community take shape.”
Lovell is set to open its marketing suite at the development on the weekend of 27th and 28th October giving buyers their first opportunity to secure one of the new for-sale homes.
Karen Courts, Chief Executive of Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association, commented: “We are delighted that building work is now under way for the development of 153 new homes, of which 43 homes will be affordable housing for rent from Merthyr Housing. We are committed to the regeneration of communities and we are excited to be working in partnership with Lovell on this development.”
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Housing Strategy Officer Cerys Clark said: “Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council are pleased to be working in partnership with Lovell and Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association as part of the ongoing regeneration of Merthyr Vale to provide 43 units of affordable housing. This development is being funded by £3.1m of grant from Welsh Government with the remaining cost being met by private finance secured by Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association.”
The housing development, where the first residents are expected to move in during summer 2019, continues the renewal of the former colliery — closed since 1989 — via a large-scale regeneration programme by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, backed by the Welsh Government. The programme has created a new access road, Golwg yr Afon, and a state-of-the-art primary school, Ynysowen Community Primary.
The three-year construction programme for the new housing development will create a wide range of benefits for local people, including substantial job and training opportunities. These will include construction apprenticeships, graduate traineeships and opportunities for people to gain valuable work experience through placements.
