Work begins on £50m scheme to build 400 Walsall homes
Multi-million pound work to build more than 400 homes on land stood derelict for up to a decade in Walsall is under way.
The £50m transformation of the former Poets Estate is a major part of the regeneration around Harden and Goscote.
A total of 412 homes are planned as part of the Waters Keep development on land off Shakespeare Crescent, Keats Road and Chaucer Road, Harden.
It will see 177 properties for affordable rent and 235 private homes and forms part of the Goscote Lane Corridor being lead by Walsall Housing Group.
It is due to be completed in November 2018 and comes as plans to build another 350 homes on the nearby former Goscote estate are also being developed.
Overall, there is due to be an £88m investment in the area, bringing more than 750 new properties.
Carole Wildman, corporate director for growth at Walsall Housing Group, said: "Today represents a key milestone in our work towards making Goscote a community where people are proud to live, work and play.
"Waters Keep will deliver 412 quality homes which will be efficient to maintain and offer a great living environment for local families.
"We are matching what the community told us they need from the regeneration work and offering a range of home sizes for rent and outright sale so residents with all kinds of housing needs can benefit from the investment.
"In addition to the physical transformation, Walsall Housing Group is also investing heavily in social regeneration projects, aimed at improving the health of residents and their training and job prospects."
The plans were approved by Walsall Council planners. Regeneration chief, councillor Mohammad Nazir, said "The Goscote Lane Corridor regeneration project is the largest residential scheme in borough and will deliver much needed high-quality affordable and private sale housing and enhanced environment for residents."
"Working in partnership with Walsall Housing Group and Keepmoat, the construction phase will support local businesses and people by providing local supply chain, jobs and training opportunities."
Hundreds of homes including in Shakespeare Crescent were demolished in 2005 and 280 properties on the old Goscote estate were pulled down in 2007 ahead of the plans.
Funding for the project includes a £2.66m grant from the Homes and Communities Agency.
The money forms part of the £12.3m secured by the housing association through the government's affordable homes programme for 2015-18.
