Contracts awarded for 27 new homes in Sandwell
Plans to build 27 new council homes in Sandwell have moved one step closer with the awarding of building contracts.
The £4 million redevelopment scheme will see the houses, for rent, built on four existing council-owned sites.
The mix of homes to be built across the sites is made up of 18 two-bedroom houses, five two-bedroom bungalows and four four-bedroom homes.
Housing offices formerly occupied three of the sites – at Gladstone Street and Monmouth Drive in West Bromwich, and Hilton Road, Tividale – while a fourth on Ladbury Road, Yew Tree had offices on it which were previously leased.
Following a competitive tendering process, contracts have been awarded to J Harper and Sons (Leominster) Ltd for Hilton Road, Tividale and Monmouth Drive, West Bromwich; Interclass Plc for Gladstone Street, West Bromwich; and United Living (North Ltd) for Ladbury Road, Walsall.
Cabinet member for housing, councillor Kerry Carmichael, said: "I'm very pleased that we have now awarded these contracts and we can get on with building these new council homes, which is one of our top priorities.
"We have a continuing demand for affordable rented properties, particularly houses in Sandwell.
"While under construction, these developments will also provide job and training opportunities, and when completed, improve their local areas."
Work is scheduled to start on site in October, with the homes set to be completed by April 2017.
The contracts were approved at the council's cabinet on 31 August.
