Construction work on 72 much-needed affordable homes in Skegness is on track to be completed on time, despite the impact of the lockdown last year.
Chestnut Homes, which is building new homes in phase four at Saxon Fields, off Lincoln Road, has so far handed over 57 affordable properties at the development to housing association Platform Housing Group, all of which are now occupied.
The final 15 properties at the development are scheduled to be finished as originally planned by the spring.
This phase of homes has extended the partnership between the Lincolnshire housebuilder and Platform Housing Group, which had successfully delivered 169 affordable homes in the first three phases at Saxon Fields, between 2016 and 2018.
Work on this latest phase of homes was well advanced, with the initial homes close to completion before the country went into lockdown in March and construction ceased until early May. Despite this period of closure, Chestnut Homes is confident that it remains on course to meet the original deadline for completion in March 2021.
Rebecca Archer, Land and Development Manager at Chestnut Homes, said: “Chestnut Homes is proud to work in partnership with Platform Housing to deliver these much-needed affordable homes in Skegness.
“Despite the challenges encountered last year with the lockdown, we are delighted that the project will complete on program and by March 2021. This is testament to the resilience and commitment of both parties, to maintain COVID measures to keep our respective staff safe, whilst also enabling the completion and occupation of these much-needed new homes.”
Of the 72 new affordable homes, 14 have been designated for shared ownership and 58 for rent, comprising a mixture of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom properties.
Planning permission for the fourth phase of Saxon Fields was approved by East Lindsey District Council in March 2019 to help Skegness meet the demand for affordable homes.
Andy Parker, Area Development Manager at Platform Housing Group, commented: “We are delighted that this further phase of our development in Skegness has been delivered on deadline despite the challenges that 2020 has brought.
“These new homes for affordable rent and shared ownership will provide high quality accommodation in an area of high demand on the Lincolnshire coast.”
Header image shows from left to right: Andy Parker, Area Development Manager at Platform Housing Group; Luke Forsyth, Assistant Site Manager at Chestnut Homes and Zoe Brown, Project Manager at Platform Housing Group at the Saxon Fields sites.