A longstanding Bishop Auckland construction firm has secured a multimillion-pound contract to create new, affordable bungalows in the town.
Family-run company, T Manners and Sons, is set to build 10 new bungalows in the Woodhouse Close area of Bishop Auckland. The bungalows are being created for County Durham-based believe housing as the latest part of its investment in Woodhouse Close.
The new homes will be built at a vacant site on Ramsey Crescent. The construction will include eight, two-bedroom bungalows and a pair of three-bedroom dormer bungalows. They are intended to help meet the growing demand for affordable bungalows in the Bishop Auckland area.
Local jobs are expected to be secured by the £2m project, the fifth construction scheme undertaken by T Manners & Sons for believe housing. Work is expected to start on site in late 2021, with the first customers moving in during 2022.
The housing association has already completed new bungalows in nearby Howard Close and in St Helen Auckland as part of its multi-award-winning new-build homes programme. The project is focused upon delivering homes that the private sector would be unlikely to deliver, for example bungalows.
Construction has also been targeted at smaller, brownfield sites that allow new homes to be carefully integrated into existing communities. The approach has seen believe housing pick up a string of commendations, including the Guardian Public Service Award for housing and UK Housing Awards ‘Homebuilder of the Year.’
Managing Director at T Manners and Sons, Simon Manners, said: “We are looking forward to delivering our fifth scheme for believe housing, constructing much needed affordable housing in Bishop Auckland, which has also been our home ever since we were established in 1860.”
Development Delivery Manager at believe housing, Rebecca Marshall, commented: “We always like to maximise the positive impact of our projects for the local community. Being able to support successful local businesses like this is a great way of doing that; protecting local jobs and keeping investment in the area.
“I’m really pleased to be working with T Manners again and I can’t wait to see work starting on site.”
All of the new bungalows will be available for affordable rent once complete. They are all designed to be easily adaptable for specific customer needs, such as wheelchair use. Demand is expected to be high from people keen to stay in the area but looking to move to a more accessible home.
