Colchester City Council is pleased to announce the completion of 12 two-bedroom flats for local families on the housing register.
The flats are located on former garage sites on Buffett Way and Scarfe Way, Colchester. These new properties are a significant milestone towards the council’s commitment to building 350 new, council-owned properties in the city by 2024, to tackle local housing need.
Its ambitious building programme is being delivered in partnership with Colchester Amphora Homes Ltd (CAHL), the council’s commercial housing company, and Colchester Borough Homes, the council’s housing management organisation.
As part of the council’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency, the homes have been built to Future Homes Standard, to reduce carbon emissions, and feature air source heat pumps, double glazing, LED lighting and increased insulation levels. The homes also come with a communal garden and each unit has a lockable bike/garden store.
Councillor Julie Young, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities said: “I am extremely pleased that these sustainable new flats have now been completed. They mark a significant step in our commitment to tackling the housing crisis in Colchester.
“The transformation of under-used council-owned garage sites into high quality flats is advantageous for everyone. It provides much-needed stock for our social housing register and ensures that local families can live in modern and sustainable homes. The use of air source heat pumps is an important step forward in decarbonising our housing stock, as well as ensuring that the residents will benefit from lower energy costs.
“We will continue to work closely with and Colchester Amphora Homes, to explore and develop more opportunities to expand our stock of council homes.”
This is the second phase of garage sites development, which added 34 new homes to the council’s housing stock, as well as several other projects that form part of the larger New Council Housing Programme.
Project managed by Colchester Amphora Homes Ltd, construction was undertaken by local contractor, Amplis Construction.
Paul Smith, Managing Director of Colchester Commercial Holdings Ltd, said: “Amphora Homes is proud to work in partnership with the Council and CBH to bring these attractive new developments to fruition. We will continue to explore and develop further opportunities to expand the stock of council homes in great locations in and around our town.”
The homes at both sites have now been handed over and tenants will move in immediately.
The programme is being supported through grant funding from Homes England and the council’s Housing Revenue Account. This is a ring-fenced account that can only be spent on improving or increasing affordable housing.
Page last reviewed: 26 January 2023