Bricks laid as 61 new homes for council rent are on track for completion
Seven months since work started at Burlington Close in Feltham, Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Steve Curran, visited the site to check on progress and lend a hand to the brickwork as the council progresses towards its Housing Pledge to secure 5,000 new affordable homes and build 1,000 new council homes by 2022.
Since January this year, national contractor and developer Wates has demolished the former sheltered accommodation on the site, which was no longer fit for purpose, and progress is on track to deliver 61 new, self-contained family sized homes to help meet the growing demand for social housing in the borough.
Available for council rent, across three blocks, the homes use environmentally friendly technologies such as air source heat pumps and solar panels. Being all-electric, with no gas, residents have the chance to use cleaner energy sources. The development will also include electric vehicle charging points, a communal garden including a play area, and eight of the homes will be wheelchair accessible. Burlington Close will also provide 130 secured cycle parking spaces, and all trees that are currently on site will be retained.
We have made it a priority to build more social housing for Hounslow residents, so it was great to see the progress being made at Burlington Close. There is much more work to be done but building 61 new homes available at council rent is another big step forward on delivering much needed new homes for local people.”
Cllr Steve Curran
Leader of Hounslow Council
At Wates, our focus is on creating the places and communities of tomorrow. Not only do we build high-quality homes, we also boost economies and benefit communities.
Although we are a national contractor and developer, we take a local approach and look to work with businesses and people close to our sites to increase education, skills, and training opportunities.
This is exactly what we are doing here at Burlington Close with Hounslow Council, because everybody deserves a great place to live.”
Helen Bunch
Executive Managing Director at Wates Residential
These opportunities include nine work experience placements and four apprenticeships, and 85% of spend on site materials and services will be supplied by small and medium-sized businesses. The site has also been making donations to the local foodbank in Feltham.