Foundations laid for 54 new energy efficient council homes in North Whiteley

The Mayor of Winchester City Council joined the team at Drew Smith on their latest scheme yesterday. This new development, which is now underway, will  deliver 21 two-bedroom homes, 29 three-bedroom houses and four four-bedroom properties in North Whiteley.

The city council remains committed to its target of providing 1,000 new homes over the next 10 years with work having started laying the foundations of 54 properties in the south of the Winchester district.

Each home in the development will be better for the environment, with Drew Smith providing the properties to the AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Building) certified standard. This means homes will have very high levels of insulation, so it costs less to heat and they retain their heat for longer during the colder months of the year.

Not only will the development be greener than ever, but homes will be available with a mixture of ownership options; including 27 to be available as affordable rent and an additional 27 as shared ownership. The new development is set within a vibrant community of schools, shops and leisure activities for residents and good transport links to the wider area.

Cllr Kelsie Learney, Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management, said: “It is really exciting to see the progress of this development in the south of the district. This scheme will help us to deliver what we believe residents of Winchester are looking for, well-designed and energy efficient homes with access to open spaces locally.”

Philip Farminer, Regional Land & Planning Director at Drew Smith added: “Being constructed to an enhanced energy standard will make these fantastic new homes comfortable to live in and affordable to run. It’s also very pleasing to be able to provide them to Winchester City Council upon their completion – supporting the council with its commitments to affordable housing and carbon reduction.”

This week also marks the national Women in Construction Week which celebrates the success of women within the construction industry. With women currently comprising 21% of the Drew Smith team, we are ahead of the industry average, and already seeing the benefits of a more diverse workforce.