First residents move into Black Country Garden City development in Bilston
The first residents have moved into a large-scale housing development in Bilston which forms part of the new Black Country Garden City.
Accord Housing Association is providing 105 affordable homes on the development, comprising of 85 two and four-bedroom houses for affordable rent and 20 two-bedroom houses for shared ownership.
The £11.5 million project of timber framed homes is being built for Accord by construction company Countryside.
Sara Woodall, executive director of homes and communities at Accord said: “We are proud to be involved with this large scale project, providing well designed homes that are energy efficient and affordable for local people.
"By embracing the garden city concept, we are helping to transform a derelict brownfield site into an outstanding area to live with green streets and spaces and walkable neighbourhoods. This project will make a huge difference to the local area.”
The development has received the Garden City accreditation, and will utilise existing green, cultural and economic assets to develop an attractive place where people want to live, transforming the reality and perception of the Black Country.
Quality
Councillor Jacqueline Sweetman, cabinet member for city assets and housing at Wolverhampton City Council, said: “The council has plans to build thousands more homes over the next five years and we are pleased to be working with Accord to bring high quality affordable housing to Bilston.
“Regeneration on this scale is bringing new life to the area by providing much-needed affordable homes and new investment.”
The project is a partnership between Accord, the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, along with the four Black Country local authorities and the Homes and Communities Agency and is due to be completed by July 2021, with the first shared-ownership homes available at the beginning of 2021.
Accord provides 13,000 homes and a range of services, including health and social care, to more than 80,000 people across the Midlands and beyond. It is one the largest housing associations within the West Midlands region, employing almost 4,000 people.
Accord is not-for-profit and specialises in involving customers and communities in shaping the homes and services it provides.
