23 Jun 2021 | Posted by Emily Bowes
Our ambitious plans to build 138 new homes in Gainsborough have received final sign off from the government and work can now begin.
We’re developing the new homes in partnership with West Lindsey District Council and Homes England as part of our commitment to the regeneration of the town.
The £16 million plans will regenerate the land off Bowling Green Road after planning permission was granted last year and will be built by developers Vistry Partnerships.
And now, thanks to the approval of £5.2 million funding from Homes England, the regeneration work can begin.
Close to the popular Mercer Wood, the site will offer residents an innovative mix of housing to either buy or rent including homes for outright sale, affordable rent, shared ownership and much-needed, fully accessible, specialist housing for older people.
It will create a new type of community for Gainsborough, with inter-generational living and shared services at its heart.
Mark Jones, Director of Property Services at Acis Group, said: “This exciting development will create a balanced community of all ages in Gainsborough, a safe attractive place where people will want to live and work which meets the needs of the local people and the area.
“The regeneration will transform the area and create a sustainable, intergenerational community. It will be a place we can be proud of in the town.
“And with a growing elderly population in Lincolnshire, this project will help provide quality, secure and accessible homes for the future, enabling people to live independently for longer.”
The development, which has also received funding worth £2.1 million from the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP), will include 60 fully accessible apartments with energy efficient, low carbon heating, designed specifically for older people, and will be a first of its kind for Acis and Gainsborough.
The apartments will also have two communal air source heat pumps installed to provide heating and hot water to the block – cutting carbon emissions by 57%.
Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr Owen Bierley said: “It is fantastic news that work can start on this much needed housing project.
“A few years ago, we launched our Gainsborough prospectus and £18 million of public sector investment to underpin our heritage-led regeneration and housing led economic growth. Gainsborough became a Housing Zone and through our partnership working we have been able to secure additional funding to bring on projects of this kind.
“As a member of the Council’s Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change Working Group, we have developed a strategy to become net zero carbon by 2050, which will be revealed at our full Council meeting later this month. Therefore, I am particularly pleased to see the addition of the air source heat pumps that will be installed in the block and will cut carbon emissions by 57 per cent.”
Andrea Taylor, Senior Manager at Homes England, said: "We are committed to supporting Acis’ ambitions to build new homes, and our investment through affordable housing grant allows us to do that.
“This funding will make a tangible difference to the town, enabling Acis to deliver much needed new homes, with a real focus on community-building.”
The work forms a major part of our regeneration efforts in Gainsborough which includes new homes on the regenerated site at North Parade and the opening up of the Riverside Walk pathway, connecting Gainsborough to Morton for the first time.
Remediation work on the site has already been completed thanks to funding from the GLLEP with the build set to begin in July.
Pat Doody, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "The economic impact of our strategic investment at Corringham Road and Bowling Green Road is evident.
“By directly supporting the regeneration of Gainsborough we are investing in the future success and growth of the town, enabling the delivery of much needed new homes and communities.”
Andrew Poyner, Managing Director of Vistry Partnerships Yorkshire commented, saying: “We’re excited to be working in partnership with Acis Group once again and playing our part in the regeneration of Gainsborough.
“This development reinforces our commitment to creating sustainable communities where they are most needed and delivering high-quality homes for everyone.”
With 60 fully accessible apartments on the site, this development is set to revolutionise housing in the local area, provide quality inter-generational living with services for everyone in the community to benefit from.
Anybody wanting to apply for affordable housing in West Lindsey needs to be registered with the Council's Home Choices scheme. For more information, call 01427 676 676.