Wigan housing schemes gather momentum ahead of completion date

The local authority is investing £19m into the new buildings on Sandalwood Drive, in Beech Hill, and Meadowvale Drive, in Pemberton, with additional funding from Homes England, and both are expected to be completed within the next 12 months.

All of the properties will be available for affordable rent and are being built to high environmental standards, helping residents to keep their energy bills as low as possible.

Council leader Coun David Molyneux said: “It was a pleasure to visit these sites and see the progress that has been made so far in the delivery of these fantastic new communities.

“A real focus has been placed on the future – ensuring we enable residents to live sustainably, keeping energy bills low, which we know is such a priority for people at the moment, and with provision for adaptations to be installed in future years.

“The progress has been great to see, and I look forward to these communities being complete and residents moving in and making these houses their homes.”

A total of 69 homes are being built on Sandalwood Drive, on a previously under-utilised site, and are scheduled for completion in spring 2023.

With a need for specialist housing for older people, a 51-unit extra care scheme is being built for over 55s, with communal space including a lounge and extensive garden. Eighteen bungalows also being built.

This is one of the first developments in the borough with ground source heat pump technology, which will provide a low carbon heating system for the extra care units, alongside electric vehicle charging points and solar panels.

The Meadowvale Drive scheme includes 23 homes and a supported housing scheme for nine adults with complex health needs. It is expected to be completed this autumn.

This site has air source heat pump technology, which means the properties do not need to use gas for heating and is lower carbon than traditional heating.

They have been built so that solar panels can be easily added, with electric vehicle charging points on all properties.

Charlotte Cordingley, the council’s director of housing and property, infrastructure and environment, said: “The council has worked alongside our contractors to ensure local people are employed on site and that the local community benefits from these building works.

“Wilmott Dixon have worked with local schools to provide activities at career days, interview experience and coaching for students at risk of falling out of employment or education.

"They have also provided work experience and placements for care leavers, created a number of apprenticeships on site, and delivered a full-day construction workshop with Wigan Jobcentre.

“Caddick have also created apprenticeships, as well as taking on an apprentice engineer directly who is now studying at Wigan College.

"Work placements are currently being discussed with Wigan Jobcentre Plus and the team are already making plans to support The Brick food bank with donations through on-site collections in the run-up to Christmas.

“I am delighted that our contractors are able to deliver benefits to the community, while working with the council to build these homes.”