A local housing association has marked the beginning of a new scheme that will provide high-quality, energy-efficient housing with a brick laying ceremony.

A wide variety of guests joined officials from Wellingborough Homes, contractor Wates Living Space, project investors the Homes and Communities Agency and the Borough Council of Wellingborough to celebrate the event at Knights Court in Wellingborough.

The £5.7 million scheme will see the site transformed into 40 high-quality, modern self-contained apartments and additional facilities designed to meet a variety of needs for residents. The homes will be let at affordable rents.

All homes will be built to meet the principles of Lifetime Homes, ensuring accommodation can adapt as residents’ needs change. Four units have been designated for wheelchair users and will include features such as adjustable height kitchens.

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Communal facilities will include an arts and crafts lounge, a library and music room, a treatment room and hair salon, laundry rooms, buggy store, lifts and two assisted bathrooms.

Accessible landscaping around the scheme will include a level access route and raised beds where residents can get involved in caring for their outside space.

The project is on track for the highest possible rating with the BREEAM Multi-Residential accreditation, which assess the environmental impact of schemes with a mix of self-contained homes and communal facilities.

The project follows improvements at four of the association’s sheltered housing schemes over the last four years.

David Willis, Chief Executive at Wellingborough Homes, said: "We have been working in close partnership with our residents to develop plans for Knights Court that will meet the housing needs of people in this area, while planning for the needs of our future residents as well.

"In the last four years we have invested more than £57m into our housing stock, ensuring the provision of quality affordable housing for people across the borough.

"As a four-year-old organisation, we are delighted to be in the position where we can add to our stock by building some of our first new homes. Together with this scheme we are currently building 101 new homes and have a further 22 homes in the pipeline."

(CD/GK)