A local housing association is celebrating after one of its developments was shortlisted for a prestigious national award.
Plus Dane Housing, which has over 13,500 homes across Cheshire and Merseyside, has seen its Runcorn-based Shepherds Row project shortlisted for Inside Housing’s ‘Best Affordable Housing Development’ award.
Katie Davies, Development Manager at Plus Dane Housing, said: “We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for such a prestigious award for our work in Shepherds Row.”
The project, the final part of the Castlefields Regeneration masterplan, saw an unpopular deck access block replaced by 27 new homes, transforming the site into a safe, modern and sustainable development, perfect for the needs of local people.
“We had lots of discussions with stakeholders to make sure this development was right for the area. What we came up with was to incorporate two-bedroom houses and one-bedroom flats as well as four one-bedroom flexible houses. The latter offer smaller households the benefits of living in a home designed to become a 2-bedroom home should their own circumstances, or demand in the area, change in the future.”
Jemma and her partner were the first customers to move into one of the homes. She said: “We were really attracted to the area as it is ideally situated for getting to work for both of us. The way the property had been designed, with the potential to convert the single bedroom into two bedrooms, is what really sold the property to us, as we are looking to start a family together”.
Alan Green, Director of Development at Plus Dane Housing, said: “For Plus Dane Housing, Shepherds Row completes a 15 year-long programme of works in partnership with Halton Borough Council, Onward Housing and Homes England. This programme has transformed the entire Castlefields Estate in Runcorn, including the demolition of more than 1400 existing 1960s deck access flats and the development of approximately 750 new affordable homes of varying type and tenure.”