12th July 2007

Robin Hood opens new £5 million housing scheme

 

EVENT:     
Robin Hood, aka Ade Andrews, heritage ranger for Sherwood Forest Trust, opens a new £5 million affordable housing scheme on Thursday 12th July 2007.

Developed by Nottingham Community Housing Association, East Midlands Housing, Mansfield District Council and Westleigh Developments Ltd, this regeneration scheme has seen two streets of run down and derelict properties in Mansfield Woodhouse transformed into a development of much needed affordable homes.

NCHA Chief Executive Mike Andrews,
Chan Kataria, East Midlands Housing Chief Executive

and Robin Hood (aka Ade Andrews)

 

The state of the houses in Blake Street and Sherwood Street had attracted anti-social behaviour and made the area into an eyesore.

 

The new development is the result of partnership between Mansfield District Council, Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) East Midlands Housing (EMH), and Westleigh Developments Ltd.

 

Mike Andrews, chief executive of NCHA, says:
" We are proud to have been involved with this development which has produced much needed affordable housing and helped in the regeneration of the area. It is the strength of the partnership between the two housing associations, Mansfield DC and the contractor Westleigh that has successfully seen this project through to completion ".

 

Chan Kataria, chief executive of EMH, adds:
“This is an excellent example of how partnership working can produce a development of affordable, mixed tenure homes”.

 

The council first outlined its plans for the area in 1999 as part of its Neighbourhood Renewal Area initiative. By 2001 around 30 of the 150 homes that were eventually demolished had been cleared. The last properties were not knocked down until earlier this year.    
                                         
NCHA will manage 24 rental homes – nine three bedroomed houses, 11 two bedroomed houses and four flats – two with one bedroom and two with two bedrooms. It also has four three bedroomed and four two bedroomed shared ownership houses. These properties allow people unable to buy their own home outright to buy a share in a house, pay rent on the remainder and then increase their share as circumstances allow.

 

EMH will manage 22 rented homes on the site – four two bedroomed bungalows, two of which will be adapted for people with wheelchairs, and eight three bedroomed houses. It also has 10 two bedroomed houses available through shared ownership.

 

All the properties are designed to Lifetime Homes Standards incorporate Secured by Design features including lockable rear gates, security chains and lockable fasteners on all windows. They have also achieved a good Eco Home rating due to their energy efficiency and lower running costs.