A new housing project designed to help alleviate the shortfall of affordable homes by utilising pockets of derelict City Council land across Leicester is now complete and has been officially handed over by Loughborough-based contractor and developer William Davis Ltd to project partners East Midlands Housing (EMH).

The £4.9 million project, built as seven mini developments on sites at five existing Leicester estates, has provided 43 new homes available for affordable rent. Built to meet the Government's targets for sustainability the new homes benefit from wider wall cavities, increased thickness of loft insulation, energy efficient boilers and thermally efficient windows, elements which reduce heat loss from the building, resulting in lower utility costs and CO2 emissions.

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Collectively known as 'Batch 1' the homes at Dillion Way, New Parks; Carpe Road, Charnwood; Queens Park Way, Eyres Monsell; Towle Road, New Parks (2 sites) and Wreford Close, Thurncourt (2 sites) will be managed and owned by Foundation Housing Association, part of the East Midlands Housing Group and will comprise a mix of houses, apartments and bungalows, one of which is built to wheelchair standards.

Handing over the scheme Guy Higgins, Managing Director of William Davis said: "The use of infill sites in the City is a pragmatic solution to both the provision of new housing and the problem of disused and derelict areas on existing housing estates.

"This type of scheme, however, does require extensive planning to ensure that every element of the project is communicated effectively to all parties involved, from partners, local residents, local authority to on-site employees and 'Batch 1' is an excellent example of how this should be done.

"We are all delighted with the outcome and look forward to continuing our positive and long standing relationship with both EMH and Leicester City Council."

(CD)