Construction of eco-friendly housing scheme well underway following WMCA funding
Published: Thursday 05 Aug 2021
Construction work is well underway on a new, eco-friendly housing scheme in Telford following a £460,000 investment by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, visited the Southwater Way scheme to see the progress being made ahead of prospective tenants being able to reserve their brand new homes this autumn.
The scheme is the first fully sustainable development by Nuplace which is a Telford and Wrekin Council wholly owned company.
The WMCA investment into the scheme is part of its ‘brownfield first' approach. This involves regenerating the region's former industrial land and vacant urban plots for new homes and jobs, helping to protect the green belt in the process.
(L-R) Katherine Kynaston, Director of Housing, Employment & Infrastructure (Telford & Wrekin Council). Steve Ulfig, Regional Land and Pre-Construction Director (Lovell). Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands. Councillor Shaun Davies, Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council. Councillor David Wright, Telford & Wrekin Cabinet Member for Economy, Housing, Transport & Infrastructure
The homes being built at Southwater Way have all been designed in accordance with Telford and Wrekin Council's commitment to tackle climate change including PV panels and electric car charging points, helping tenants to reduce their fuel bills and at the same time reducing the scheme's carbon footprint.
The Mayor said: I'd like to thank the leader of Telford and Wrekin Council for inviting me to see first-hand the progress being made at Southwater Way.
This is another excellent example of how the WMCA has continued to invest throughout the pandemic in schemes that regenerate former industrial sites to provide affordable, energy efficient homes for local people and modern commercial premises for emerging, 21st century industries to grow and create the well paid jobs of the future.
This focus on low carbon and brownfield regeneration is not only helping to relieve pressure on the green belt but is also supporting the region's #WM2041 ambition to be a net carbon zero region
The new site, is being developed by Nuplace's building partner Lovell and features 46, one, two, three and four bedroom homes for a mixture of affordable rent and private homes bringing the total Nuplace homes in the borough to 464.
Cllr David Wright, Telford and Wrekin Council's cabinet member for economy, housing, transport and infrastructure said: Telford & Wrekin Council are extremely grateful for the WMCA's support in helping us to launch Nuplace's first fully sustainable development.
We are so pleased to see work progressing at this site which brings us another step forward in being able to launch these new homes to the public.
"Southwater Way has set a benchmark for future Nuplace schemes as well as other housing schemes within the borough and we are confident that these new sustainable homes will prove to be really attractive to people looking for a high quality home for rent
Cllr Shaun Davies, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, added: We were pleased to welcome Andy to the borough and to show him some of our key developments, including our plans for Station Quarter.
"The WMCA's investment into Southwater Way, as part of their brownfield first approach aligns with the council's values, as we collectively look to regenerate former industrial sites and protect the green belt
Tenants will be able to reserve their brand new homes to rent from this autumn with homes ready to move into early 2022.
To be among the first to hear about this new development when it is launched sign up to Nuplace's email list at www.nuplace.co.uk/registernow