City of Lincoln Council has celebrated the start of works to bring further affordable housing to the city.
Work has begun on site to demolish Markham House at Swift Gardens to make way for five two-bed, four-person family homes to be let at affordable rents by City of Lincoln Council.
The start on site marks a very positive start to the council’s ambitious new-build delivery programme moving forward from 2020.
Markham House, a vacant community building in St Giles, had planning permission granted in 2019 to be demolished and the site developed to make way for extra housing provisions.
The homes will be in a single terrace and benefit from increased insulation levels, which in turn will reduce energy bills and support the council’s long-term aim of providing energy efficient housing for the benefits of residents and the environment.
Electric vehicle charging points will also be provided to each property, providing a further environmental benefit.
Finally the homes will be built to meet the Lifetime Home Standard with wider doorways and turning spaces allowing for wheelchair access should this be required.
Lindum Building and Maintenance Services (BMS) is progressing this project on behalf of City of Lincoln Council to support its commitment to delivering more housing to meet the needs of its communities now and in the future.
Lindum contracts manager Shaun Cass said: “The work will involve the demolition of Markham House and construction of five new two-bedroomed, two-storey homes.
“The house will be available to local families and have been designed by Lindum to be ‘future proof’, meaning they can be adapted to accommodate residents’ mobility and lifestyles change.
“The work was procured through the Scape Regional Construction framework and it will take 28 weeks to complete.
“As a local, Lincoln-based construction company, we are looking forward to being involved in the regeneration of this site.”
Cllr Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council and councillor for Glebe ward, where Markham House sits, said: “It is fantastic to see works begin at the former community building.
“This project will bring five much-needed homes to families in the local area and I very much looking forward to seeing the site develop.
“This highlights our commitment as a council to ensuring quality housing within the city.”
Cllr Donald Nannestad, Portfolio Holder for Quality Housing for City of Lincoln Council added: “Demand for council housing is increasing, particularly for family accommodation, so keeping on top of that demand for our residents is an absolute priority.
“Developments such as the one at Markham House will enable us to build more thriving communities in Lincoln, consisting of homes that meet the varied needs of our residents in popular residential areas.”
Completion of the works is scheduled for the end of July 2020 and each house will be allocated in line with the council’s allocations policy.