Designed by Newcastle and Darlington-based architects, Browne Smith Baker, for the Endeavour Housing Association, the accommodation has been designed to offer spacious residences for elderly people in two bedroom apartments and bungalows to create a secure environment together with good communal support facilities and other amenities. The scheme consists of a two-storey block of 30, two bedroom apartments and 20, two bedroom bungalows and support accommodation, including kitchen, lounges, gymnasium, assisted bathrooms, office and staff accommodation, a shop and IT and hobbies room.

Aspen Gardens beat five other hopefuls in the same regional category and was also nominated in the category for Regeneration.

Malcolm Robinson, Design Director at Browne Smith Baker’s Darlington offices, said, “The whole project was a real team effort in which Kendall Cross played a vital part and we’re delighted to have won this award on behalf of the team. The fact that it is now being used a flagship development for similar schemes throughout the country is testament to the hard work put in by all involved."

Kendall Cross Site Manager for the scheme was Dave Thompson.

"The Manors" is being built on the site of a former sheltered housing scheme and will offer 46 one and two bedroom apartments, 34 of which will be available for rent with the remaining 12 being offered for shared ownership. The scheme will offer a new level of support for older people providing security and support together with 24 hour care services from a dedicated on-site team.

The two and three storey timber frame building, designed by Browne Smith Baker architects, will also contain communal areas including a day centre, restaurant, hairdressers and a "Communal Hub" providing services for local people such as chiropody, health and well being, falls prevention, internet access and social activities plus a range of outreach services.

The 18 month contract is due to be completed in the summer of 2009 with Faithful & Gould as client’s agent, 3E as structural engineer and BES Consulting Engineers as Building Services Engineer

In a separate contract for North Tyneside Council, we are also replacing the kitchens and bathrooms, together with a full electrical upgrade, of 146 homes in the Riverside aree of North Shields. This contract is worth some £1 million and is due for completion at the end of March 2008.

Contracts Manager, Foster Innes, commented, "The work we will be carrying out for North Tyneside is very similar to our ongoing contract with Your Homes Newcastle which has involved the refurbishment of hundreds of homes whilst the tenants are still living there."

"For this reason, Mac Bell has been selected as Site Manager together with Dougie Voyce as Foreman Joiner and their highly experienced team who did such a great job at Hawthorne Estate in Newcastle. Working in these properties requires special skills as we must never forget that they are people’s homes and must be treated with the utmost respect and care whilst still getting on with our work. It’s also a very tight schedule which will involve refurbishing up to eight homes per week once we get really going, but we’re on site early and ready to start."

Dave Round, Project Officer for North Tyneside Council, added, "Working in true partnership with our suppliers means that we are both committed to delivering Value for Money improvements to our tenants’ homes. Obviously, it's early days, but the Kendall Cross team have made a great start."

Organised by Contracts Manager, Foster Innes, and Site Manager, Bill Carr, the exhibition was open to all Your Homes Newcastle tenants who came to discuss the refurbishment projects we are undertaking. Several residents of Heaton Park Court, the next refurbishment project we will be undertaking after Adelaide House, took advantage of the opportunity to talk to us and over 70 people entered our free draw for electrical appliances.

Congratulations to Sue Bolam of Margaret Collins House, David Burdon of Montagu Estate and Dennis Naylor of Byker seen here with our very own, albeit early, Santa Claus, Bill Carr.

64 year old Keith Allinson, a resident of the Shildon Court sheltered housing scheme for seven years, has been greeting site agent, Dave Thompson, and his men since construction began in May on the first phase of the £4.2m scheme which will provide some 31 new apartments and 11 bungalows when finished at the end of next year.

Railway Housing Association’s Scheme Co-ordinator, Linda Lowe, explained, "It’s quite a complicated programme which we’re doing in two stages - during the first phase, some residents moved apartments allowing us to demolish half the building which gave Dave and his men room to build the new structure. The second phase will see us all move into the new building whilst the other half is demolished and 11 new bungalows are built."

"When Dave and his men first arrived on the site, I made them a cuppa while they were setting up their cabins and getting the services sorted out and Keith has just kept it going!"

Located on Alma Road, the existing Shildon Court was built in 1984 and then extended two years later to contain some 59 apartments for Railway Housing Association, one of the longest established social landlords in the country. Linda Lowe added, "The lads have been great and everyone is taking a keen interest in how their new homes are coming along!"

Site Agent, Dave Thompson, added. "We’re very grateful to Linda, Keith and all the residents here who have been very good to us ever since we started. It’s quite a tight site right next to their homes so we do have to be very careful about deliveries and noise levels on site, but everything so far has gone very well and we’re confident that the project will be completed on time and on schedule."

Ray Mallon officially unveiled Erimus Housing's first shared ownership properties on our Bruce Avenue development in the heart of west Middlesbrough.

40 properties have been built on the site of the former St Francis School with 16 houses and four bungalows for rent and the remaining 20 bungalows offering the chance of home ownership through a shared ownership scheme in which people can buy a 50% or 75% share and rent the rest from Erimus Housing, buying a further share when they can afford to.

The new properties follow on from Erimus Housing's first new build project with us at Ravendale Road in Priestfields, where two houses and two bungalows were completed earlier this year.