March 20, 2024
The first exciting phase of new house building in Kingshurst is gathering pace.
With foundations laid and groundwork complete, the construction of 25 new sustainable social rented homes is in full swing on the site of the former Mountfort pub.
Solihull Council has appointed national contractor Willmott Dixon to deliver this initial phase of housing development, which includes three and four-bedroom family homes as well as one-bedroom maisonettes, helping to meet the specific needs of the Kingshurst community.
Manufactured here in the UK, the sustainable prefabricated timber frames, which form the structure of the new homes have already shot up. This construction method allows for airtight insulation and provides maximum energy efficiency helping future residents to cut their fuel bills while also reducing carbon emissions. Attention has now turned to completing the roofing and brickwork before contractors make a start on the internal fitout.
This significant latest step marks a major milestone for the Council-led regeneration scheme and will make a significant initial contribution to the 78 new homes envisioned in the Kingshurst Masterplan.
Set to be delivered in separate stages, the final scheme will provide a new mix of sustainable housing and modern retail space, centred around a brand-new community health and wellness hub.
In the meantime, one way Solihull Council is looking to maximise some of the local opportunities connected to this phase of work is through its Kinghurst Construction Training Hub. Using funding provided by WMCA, this initiative is offering local residents the chance to benefit from onsite training with the aim of opening the door to future employment in the industry.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council and Portfolio Holder for the Economy, said:
“This has been a complex scheme from the start and one that we have always been determined to get right. A huge amount of work has gone on in the background to get to this point, so it’s really exciting to now see the builders on site and watch these new homes shooting up so quickly.
“The 25 new homes we have started building have all been designed with the highest energy efficiency standards in mind and will serve as an exemplar for what can be achieved for the rest of the scheme and elsewhere across the borough.”
To date, WMCA (West Midlands Combined Authority) has invested £5.5m in order to start delivering the much-anticipated regeneration scheme. Solihull Council has also secured additional funding through Homes England, the Government’s Estates Regeneration fund and drawn on their own resources to support this multi-faceted project.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:
“I was delighted to be back in Kinghurst to see the fantastic progress being made by Solihull and its partners. Regeneration projects like Kinghurst play a pivotal role in revitalising communities, creating homes, jobs, and commercial spaces, all essential as we grow our economy.
“This scheme is expected to deliver 78 new net zero carbon homes for local people. Projects such as this are testament to our commitment to meeting the housing needs of our residents, especially badly needed high quality social homes.“
With steady progress being made, construction on the Mountfort site remains on track for completion in September 2024.
