New homes visit impresses Carlisle MP

development photoA year after a start on site photo shoot for Homes for Britain campaign there are now 18 affordable new homes for rent.

 John Stevenson, MP for Carlisle, took the opportunity to revisit the completed 2M Riverside development in Morton accompanied Dean Butterworth, Divisional Director for Riverside in Cumbria and David Robinson, Riverside Project Officer.

 

Ashness Drive MP visit         From L to R: David Robinson, Project Officer, John Stevenson MP for Carlisle, Dean Butterworth      Divisional Director for Riverside in Cumbria

“A Forever Home”

Mr and Mrs Brown, who had just moved into their new home, were delighted to welcome Mr Stevenson into their new home “As most of our children have now left home we thought it would be good to downsize from the large house we rented from another housing association in Carlisle to free it up for a growing family. The new house is perfect for us, it even has features which mean it can be adapted if we need that as we get older – it’s our forever home.”

Mrs Brown and MP for CarlisleJohn Stevenson: ‘I am impressed by the standard of housing that I visited. The residents seem very happy with their new homes and I think that they make a fitting addition to the area. It is important that in expanding communities, the community element remains and my impression is that this development and those residents who I have met with, integrate well into the thriving community of Morton.’

 

The new homes were built by Esh Border Construction behind the site of the former Border Terrier Public House in Morton. Morton is social landlord Riverside’s largest and most sustainable neighbourhood where they own and managed over 1100 properties. Earlier this month the team held a “Meet the Neighbour” event when local residents had an opportunity to tour one of the new homes and meet some of the new tenants.

Simon Phillips, Regional Managing Director, Esh Border Construction added: “We have built a great partnership with Riverside and are very pleased to have been involved in yet another high quality social housing development, which will fulfil much-needed housing requirements within Carlisle. It is a pleasure to see the first residents moving in and enjoying their new homes.”

The development, supported by HCA funding of £405,000, provides a mix of two, three and four bedroom houses. The homes are a highly insulated timber framed construction to minimise the effects of rising energy costs on tenants. Project officer David Robinson also said “We were aware of the environmental impact of losing 18 trees from the site and so have planted a tree outside every house to replace them.”

Dean Butterworth said “It is important that alongside the private sector developments Riverside, as one the country’s largest social landlords, continue to build high quality homes for rent and shared ownership. These much needed homes provide a vital rung on the housing ladder for many families.”