Work starts on city's first council homes for 20 years

BUILDING work has started on the first council houses to be built in Sheffield for 20 years.

The development of 27 new homes in Shirecliffe is costing a total of 3m, of which half has come from Sheffield Council and the other half from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Councillor Bob McCann, the council's cabinet member for housing, said: "Despite the downturn in the housing market there has been no compromise on quality.

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"These homes will make more use of renewable energy, be well-insulated, and will use less water and energy, keeping fuel bills low for the tenants. They will set a benchmark for future house building in Sheffield."

Clustered across four sites in Shirecliffe Road, Longley Avenue West and Boynton Road, the development will be made up of six two-bedroom bungalows, seven two-bedroom apartments, four two-bedroom houses and 10 three-bedroom houses.

Developer Henry Boot Construction Ltd started work on the first phase in Boynton Road this week, and tenants could be moving in as soon as March next year.

Coun McCann added: "These homes will increase the quality and range of houses available to people living in Shirecliffe, and give our local construction industry a much-needed boost."

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The homes at Shirecliffe are part of wider plans to regenerate housing in the area, which will involve building a further 52 homes for sale on 12 more sites.

Sheffield Council has also won a further 2.1m from the HCA to build 27 more council houses – 19 family homes on the Ellesmere site in Burngreave, and eight homes near the new Chaucer District Centre in Parson Cross.

Simon Carr, managing director of Henry Boot, said: "We're building sustainable homes, but we also believe in providing sustainable jobs. I want to ensure that there are opportunities and apprenticeships for the children of this city."