£3.5 million for new Wear Valley council homes

Crook in Wear Valley is to be the site of the largest council house building scheme in the North East in almost two decades.
Housing minister John Healey today announced that Durham County Council will receive £3.5 million to build 67 new homes in Greenside Place and Park Avenue Close.
At present there are two sheltered accommodation schemes on these sites.
Over recent years they have become dated and have proved to be impossible to adapt for customers who may require wheelchair access. Also many of the flats are small and do not provide modern facilities for residents.
To make a significant improvement to the lives of customers Durham County Council and Dale & Valley Homes have developed plans for a replacement sheltered housing scheme which will be spacious and well equipped.
The new apartments will be energy efficient, meaning the heating bills for customers will be significantly reduced. The proposals also include the provision of 4 well equipped bungalows at Park Avenue Close.
In total there will be 46 apartments and four bungalows at Park Avenue Close. Greenside Place will have a two phase development with 17 houses being built in stage one and a further 17 planned for phase two.
Coun Clive Robson, Cabinet Member for Housing at Durham County Council, said: "I am delighted that the government has allocated the Council an additional £3.5m to enable us to build 67 new homes in Crook, County Durham.
"This funding will enable us to provide much needed new family homes as well as flats and bungalows to replace outdated sheltered accommodation for older people as part of an overall funding package of £8.5m.
"Durham County Council is working closely with Dale and Valley Homes to develop these new housing schemes.
"I am particularly pleased as this announcement follows a previous funding allocation, announced on December 30, which will see more than £6.6m spent on developing new affordable homes in County Durham."
Peter Chaffer, chief executive of Dale & Valley Homes, said: “Customers have made it very clear that the existing properties at Greenside Close and Park Avenue Close are not meeting their needs.
“We are delighted that we will be able to replace outdated properties with modern, purpose-designed buildings which people will be happy to call home.
“Ours is the largest council house building scheme announced for the north east which is really exciting.
“There will, of course, be a full consultation process before design and layout are finalised.”