Plans for a new affordable housing development in Newcastle

A plan has been put forward for a new affordable housing development, Future Homes, on the innovation district, Helix Site, in Newcastle’s city centre. 

Professor Rose Gilroy from the University of Newcastle’s School of Architecture came up with the original idea for the Future Homes project.

The development includes plans to build a community of 66 affordable homes that are in walking distance to the city centre.

The project will involve developing three buildings, each with six to eight storeys, into affordable homes.

The homes will be a mixture of social rent and Rent-to-Buy, the aim is to provide all sections of the community with the opportunity to live in a new development.

Sustainability is a key part of the development, the buildings will be built using efficient modular steel facades with green roofs and communal gardens.

The developers also want to encourage residents to use active travel and public transport, therefore there will only be 10 parking spaces for the 66 properties, 2 of which will be dedicated to car-sharing schemes that all residents can use.

Financial services company, Legal and General have sponsored Future Homes and are the key investors behind the development plans.

Philip Miller, the project architect said: ‘The Future Homes development is the embodiment of a collaborative and responsive design process where the needs and aspirations of the community acted as the catalyst for change.

‘The scheme puts the quality of life of its residents at the forefront and enables their homes to change as their needs to do, in a sustainable and affordable way.’

The founder and chair of the project, Rose Gilroy said: ‘It is well known that our quality of life is very dependent on the quality of our housing.

‘Our current hosing stock does not respond to our changing lives by allowing adaption; it does not protect us from fuel poverty or fuel insecurity nor has it embraced new technologies.

‘The Future Homes project will throw down a challenge to the housebuilders by creating new ways to live well in cities.’

Photo Credit — Pixabay