Higgins has been appointed to design and develop over 100 new homes in Southend-on-Sea.

Sanctuary Homes, the development arm of Sanctuary Housing Association, selected the firm to build 120 new homes off Barrow Hall Road in Great Wakering.

The £24.5 million contract will provide 120 new homes consisting of 110 houses and a range of apartments of different size and tenure to help meet local needs. The project will also include the creation of play areas and publicly accessible open space, along with a new pedestrian and cycle way linking Barrow Hall Road with Southend Road.

Steve Leakey, Managing Director of Higgins said: "We are really pleased to be appointed by Sanctuary Homes to provide brand new homes at Barrow Hall Road. We have a wealth of experience providing high quality housing and creating mixed-tenure developments that are inspiring, safe and enhance the local community. We look forward to starting on site in the coming months."

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The buildings will be built to complement the local area with dark roofs with brick and occasional rendered walls and comply with Rochford DC Housing Design SPD Jan 2007 and The Essex Design Guide.

As part of the development, formal and informal landscaping will provide a variety of differing 'character' areas, including formal squares and a boulevard along the primary highway. Hedgerows, which are important for wildlife species, will also be enhanced with new planting to provide ‘ecological corridors’ within the site and beyond.

Open swales, ponds and basins form part of the sustainable drainage system while a large wet feature within the public open space will be provided which will serve as an attenuation pond and encourage diverse wildlife. A pumping station, which will be largely underground and hidden from view, will also be built.

The development has been designed by Chaplin Farrant Architects and Engineer is Richard Jackson.