Developments

The Site

Local authority: South Gloucestershire District Council
Client: Sovereign and Solon Housing Associations
Contractor: Newland Homes
Cost: £1.5m
Number: 22 affordable out of 138 new units.

Sovereign’s relationship with Newland Homes started in 2003 when the two organizations worked together to deliver 16 affordable homes on a site in Speedwell.  We have subsequently worked together on other schemes, and Sovereign has now been asked to deliver the affordable homes on their latest development at Douglas Road, Kingswood.

The disused industrial site which will be redeveloped to provide 138 homes. The site is designed with two vehicular access points on opposite sides of the site while a pedestrian link through the central public open space links the two halves of the development.  Newland Homes have entered into a Section 106 agreement under which they will provide on site open space, contribute towards the maintenance of off site open space and contribute towards highways and public transport improvements. 

The Scheme

The 46 affordable homes are a mix of two and three and four bedroom houses and 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. 32 are for rent and 14 for part-buy part-rent, and are handed over in five phases over a 15 month period.

We hope to achieve Secure by Design for all affordable units, and have upgraded the Ecohomes good rating to “very good” with an extra £130,000 of features, such as better insulation, water recycling and energy efficient lighting.

Under the HomesWest Partnership agreement Sovereign will transfer 24 of the affordable units to our Consortium Partners Solon South West.

Completion date: Dec 2008