Work starts on 187 houses on Whitworth Road in Spennymoor

Work is underway on the development in Spennymoor, County Durham, which will see mixed tenure homes created.

Vistry North East - part of the Vistry Group - is delivering the project, comprising two, three and four-bedroomed properties on an 18-acre site, just off Whitworth Road.

(In the centre) believe housing’s assistant director of development, Tom Winter with (right) Vistry North East’s development director, Andrew Rennie and (left) Vistry North East’s senior development manager, Michael Duffy (Image: Helen Smith Photography)

And a deal has now been agreed, which will see believe housing acquire 111 of the homes to be made available for affordable rent, rent to buy and shared ownership.

This will include 20 new bungalows built for older members of the community - which can be adapted as people’s needs change - and a selection of two, three and four bedroomed houses

Other three and four bedroomed homes on the scheme will be sold via the Linden Homes brand, with some plots available via the government’s First Homes scheme, aimed at helping first time buyers on to the property ladder.

An artist impression of how the houses will look (Image: VISTRY)

The first homes on the circa £50million project are expected to be complete by early 2027.

Andrew Rennie, development director, Vistry North East, said: “We are delighted to be underway on our first development in Spennymoor.

“It is great to again be working with believe housing - following successful projects in Bishop Auckland and Peterlee – on an excellent project, which will improve the choice and quality of housing in the area.

“We feel that this mixed tenure model – including a selection of affordable homes, bungalows, properties perfect for first-time buyers and larger, family houses - will enhance an already vibrant community, whilst creating valuable job and training opportunities.”

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Tom Winter, assistant director of development, believe housing, added: “To help meet the high demand for affordable housing in this area, we have committed to delivering up to 111 new homes on this site - in partnership with Vistry North East. It will be our largest project to date.

“We will offer a diverse range of homes for affordable rent, Rent to Buy and shared ownership, helping us to meet the differing needs of future customers.

"All properties will adhere to the standards outlined in our Future Homes roadmap, which sets clear ambitions to deliver homes around the core principles of energy efficiency, low carbon heating and renewable energy technologies.

“And importantly for believe housing, they will be the high quality, spacious, accessible, and energy efficient homes we know that people want to live in.”