Bob the Builder helps mhs homes to lay the first bricks at new development

Published by Sarah Crowdy for MHS Homes in Housing

Thursday 14th June 2012 - 1:44pm

Children from Hoo St Werburgh Primary School with Chair Ashley West and Bob the Builder

Bob the Builder and children from a primary school were among guests at the laying of the first bricks at Kent-based mhs homes’ latest development at Hoo, near Rochester.

The foundations for the 21 homes had already been laid down and the first brick laying ceremony marked a vital stage in the transformation of a site was previously a sheltered scheme, named St Werburgh Court.

It was made up of 26 bedsits built on several different levels. The style of scheme was no longer in demand and it closed at the end of 2010. Many of the residents asked to remain in the semi-rural village and were rehoused at a new sheltered scheme, named Great Paul House, also owned by mhs homes.

The properties being built are a mix of flats and houses for affordable rent and shared ownership. Three homes will be adapted for people who use wheelchairs. The homes will be of timber frame construction and will be built to code level 3whichmeans they will be well insulated and very energy efficient and cost effective to run

Ashley West, Chair of the mhs homes group said: “As Medway’s largest landlord mhs homes,whichowns and manages almost 8,000 homes in the Medway area, is committed to providing people with decent affordable homes. In the last year we have delivered over 100 new homes for rent and shared ownership. Through Shared Ownership we are able to give people, who in the current economic climate would not otherwise be able to afford to buy a home, the opportunity to buy a share of a property to help them get on to the property ladder with a view to them buying a larger share at a later date. Many of our developments are part funded by the Homes and Communities Agencywhichhas provided over £5.5million grant. Our overall programme consists of more than 360 properties over the past three years with just under £19m in grant.”

The homes,whichare costing £2.1million, will be completed in phases with handover planned from the end of 2012 through to final completion in February 2013.

The project team includes BPTW Architects, Chartway Group which is the contractor, and PSW Building Consultancy which is the employer’s agent.