A development of new affordable bungalows in Prudhoe town centre has welcomed its first residents, marking the completion of a £1.1m investment in regeneration of homes in the area.
The new bungalows at The Haven have been developed by local housing association Karbon Homes and have helped strengthen the housing available for older people in the area.
The Karbon housing team were joined by MP for Hexham Guy Opperman, Northumberland County Councillor for Prudhoe South Cllr Gordon Stewart, and other Prudhoe Town Council elected members, to officially welcome the residents to their new homes.
Guy Opperman MP, said: “It was fantastic to meet with residents who have recently moved into the newly developed Haven in Prudhoe. Over £1m has been invested by Karbon to demolish and rebuild these quality homes. This has freed up other local homes for local people.”
The six new two-bed bungalows, which were delivered in partnership with contractor NB Clark, have replaced 10 one-bed bungalows, which no longer met customers housing needs, with more modern, spacious and accessible accommodation.
All made available for affordable rent, the new bungalows were designed to meet both current and changing needs of local residents and have helped strengthen the housing available for older people in the area.
Vera and Laurence Bell are two of the residents to move into the new bungalows, just off Front Street in the town. Laurence commented: “This bungalow has been a God send. It’s been absolutely marvellous for us.
“We both have health conditions which affects our mobility, and the stairs in our two-bed house were becoming too hard to manage. We’d been waiting for a bungalow to become available in the area for a long time and were delighted when we were offered this. We’re really happy here.”
Karbon received funding for the development of the new bungalows from Homes England, the Government’s housing accelerator.
Cllr Gordon Stewart said: “It was fantastic to meet residents who were clearly delighted with their new homes. Located close to the town centre which boasts a range of facilities, it is clear that there is already a great community spirit within the Haven.”
Director of Development and Regeneration at Karbon Homes, Sarah Robson, added: “Providing good quality, modern homes that are a great fit for customers, both now and in the future, is one of our key priorities and it’s great to see these new bungalows completed and new residents moving in.
“The Haven is a great example of how we listen to the needs of local residents and where possible, act on the feedback we receive. It’s also been fantastic to have such strong support from local stakeholders throughout the development.”
Header image: From left to right, John Meldrum Housing Team Leader at Karbon Homes, with Vera and Laurence, new residents at The Haven, Guy Opperman MP, representatives from the Prudhoe Town Council and Gordon Stewart, County Councillor for Prudhoe South
