These homes are the first to launch at Benwell Dene, a professionally managed rental community located off Delaval Road, just two miles from Newcastle city centre. The neighbourhood will eventually feature 146 high-quality, energy-efficient homes set among green spaces and open areas, creating a welcoming environment for families, couples and individuals looking for a thoughtfully designed home in a well-connected area.

Each home offers spacious layouts, contemporary interiors and energy-efficient features designed to help reduce day-to-day household bills. Air source heat pumps, solar panels and enhanced insulation have been incorporated throughout, helping to ensure homes are comfortable, sustainable and cost-effective to run. Every home also comes with its own electric vehicle charging point, alongside access to a resident car club, making it easier for residents to choose lower-carbon travel. The neighbourhood includes attractive communal gardens and individual terraces for each home, offering a balance of shared green space and private outdoor areas to relax and unwind.

Opening alongside the first homes, the new community hub will provide a welcoming space for residents and a central place to access support as the new neighbourhood takes shape. It will also be the base for the on-site Resident Services Manager, ensuring help is close at hand for residents as they move in.

Once complete, Benwell Dene will also feature landscaped streets, communal green spaces and open areas designed for residents to relax and socialise. Views across the Tyne Valley will enhance the sense of openness and connection to the wider landscape, while dedicated areas for biodiversity will help support local wildlife and improve the natural environment.

The new homes benefit from excellent transport connections, with Newcastle city centre accessible in around 10 minutes by road and 14 minutes by public transport. Residents are also close to local schools, shops and parks, making Benwell Dene an ideal location for family living.

Unlike traditional private renting, residents at Benwell Dene benefit from Placefirst’s professional in-house management service, including a dedicated Resident Services Manager and responsive maintenance team.

Benwell Dene forms part of the wider transformation of Newcastle's West End, which is bringing new homes and green spaces to the area. Placefirst is already part of this growing community through its nearby neighbourhood of 40 homes at The Rise, and is continuing its commitment to providing high-quality homes for renters in Newcastle.

Anna Malone, Head of Lettings, at Placefirst, said: “We’re pleased to be launching the first homes at Benwell Dene and look forward to welcoming our first residents to this new neighbourhood in Newcastle’s West End. These homes have been designed to offer space, quality and energy efficiency, giving renters a comfortable and well-connected place to live. This is just the beginning for Benwell Dene, and we’re looking forward to seeing the neighbourhood grow into a thriving place to live with a strong sense of community.”

The post First Family Homes Now Available To Rent At Our Benwell Dene Neighbourhood In Newcastle appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.

Lovell and Placefirst have challenged primary school children to design three new safety signs to be displayed at a housing development in Newcastle.

The developers, who are working together to deliver 146 build-to-rent homes at Benwell Dene in the West End of the city, asked the pupils at nearby Bridgewater School to create signs promoting good health and safety practices.

Representatives from the North East region of Lovell, the national partnership housing specialist contracted to build the properties, and Placefirst, the developer and long-term operator of the scheme, visited the school in Delaval Road, Benwell, to give a talk on health and safety to pupils.

Naz Singh, Health, Safety and Environment Manager for the North East region of Lovell, Holly Sale, Brand Manager at Placefirst, and Lee Gould, Head of Pre-Construction at Placefirst, delivered a presentation to educate the children about the dangers of building sites and why it is important to wear personal protective equipment (PPE).

At the end of the presentation, the speakers announced a competition challenging the children to design a new poster to get across three important messages – PPE must be worn, all visitors must report to the site office and no unauthorised access. The three winning posters will be reproduced on hoardings at the Benwell Dene development.

Samantha Robson, Headteacher at Bridgewater School, said: “We would like to thank both Lovell and Placefirst for making the effort to send out a delegation to come along to this assembly to talk to the children about health and safety considerations. Our pupils thoroughly enjoyed the presentation which was a fun way to introduce a serious issue.

“We are keen to introduce the children to the concept of the workplace and this presentation was an opportunity to do just that. We shall also use the issues and topics raised in the talk to feed into the curriculum and incorporate them into classroom learning. The children can’t wait to get their thinking caps on to design a poster.”

This is the latest collaboration between the school, Lovell and Placefirst. Samantha and the school’s Business Manager Adam Beechey met representatives from both developers when they were given a guided tour of the Benwell Dene site in February.

Phil Jones, Head of Land and Partnerships for the North East region of Lovell, said: “The provision of 146 long-term rental properties at Benwell Dene will bring significant social benefits to this part of Newcastle, where high-quality and secure for local families are much needed. 

"Our commitment to supporting the local community in Benwell goes much further than that, however, and we are keen to foster meaningful relationships with key organisations such as Bridgewater School. 

"It’s never too early to help educate children on the dangers that can be present on live building sites, so we hope our presentation managed to get an important message across. We are looking forward to seeing the children’s work and putting it on display to promote good health and safety practices at Benwell Dene.”
 

Holly Sale, Brand Manager at Placefirst, said: “Our collaboration with Lovell and Bridgewater School is a great example of how at Placefirst we are committed to making a lasting, positive impact on the communities we build that goes beyond bricks and mortar.

"This initiative not only delivers important safety messages to local schoolchildren but also encourages them to take an interest in construction and development. We’re looking forward to seeing the designs and to seeing the children’s creativity brought to life across the site.

"Benwell Dene is a landmark development that will bring much-needed rental homes to the West End of Newcastle and we hope to continue to work in partnership with the local community as it evolves.”

The Benwell Dene development is regenerating a six-acre brownfield site located off Delaval Road, providing 119 two to four-bedroom houses and 27 two-bedroom apartments for long-term rent.

Placefirst, a developer and operator of single-family homes, appointed Lovell as the contractor to build the homes in June 2024. Construction started on site in August 2024, and the scheme is expected to be completed by June 2027. Once finished, the homes will be managed by Placefirst.

The post Schoolchildren to design safety signs for new housing development in Newcastle appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.

The Lord Mayor of Newcastle visited a new housing development in Benwell to see how construction work there is transforming a former brownfield site.

Councillor Rob Higgins, who represents the Benwell and Scotswood ward on Newcastle City Council, was given a tour of the Benwell Dene scheme by its developer, Placefirst, and contractor Lovell, which is building the project.

The organisations are working in partnership to deliver 146 energy-efficient rental homes at the development on a six-acre site off Delaval Road in the West End of the city.

Phil Jones, Head of Land and Partnerships for the North East region of Lovell, said: “We were keen to invite the Lord Mayor of Newcastle to see the work that is taking place at Benwell Dene, as this is an important development not only for the ward which Cllr Higgins represents but also for the city as a whole.

“Providing good quality homes in well thought out neighbourhoods for the rental market allows people to settle in a place they can call home, knowing that everything is taken care of, and they can stay for as long as they want to. This is exactly what Benwell Dene will offer tenants.

“People choose to rent for various reasons and that should not mean that they have to compromise on quality. The homes at Benwell Dene will feature spacious layouts and high specifications, with a variety of designs to suit buyers with different needs and budgets.

“The visit also provided an opportunity to tell Cllr Higgins all about the development’s environmental credentials, including the measures we are taking to improve biodiversity on the site. In addition to this, each of the homes will have air source heat pumps and solar panels to enable residents to minimise their energy bills and carbon emissions.”

The homes at Benwell Dene will include 119 two and three-storey houses ranging from two to four-bedroom properties. There will be 27 two-bedroom apartments built across nine three-storey buildings. Work is expected to finish in June 2027 and the homes will be managed by Placefirst.

Phil Jones, Development Director at Placefirst, said: “We were so pleased to welcome the Lord Mayor of Newcastle to Benwell Dene and share our vision for this new rental community. Transforming brownfield sites into thriving neighbourhoods is at the heart of what we do at Placefirst, and it was fantastic to showcase the progress being made by Lovell on construction.

“The development will provide high-quality, long-term rental homes that offer security, sustainability, and a strong sense of community – enhancing the already vibrant character of the area and helping to ease housing shortages. We look forward to seeing Benwell Dene take shape and to welcoming our first residents.”

Placefirst tenants have long-term flexible leases, and they are allowed to keep pets in their home. They also benefit from having a dedicated resident services manager and a maintenance team on site.

The post Lord Mayor of Newcastle visits Benwell Dene regeneration project appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.

Placefirst and Lovell, a housebuilder contracted to build 146 build-to-rent homes at our Benwell Dene development in Newcastle, are to form an ongoing educational partnership with nearby Bridgewater School.

The primary school’s Headteacher Samantha Robson and Business Manager Adam Beechey visited the construction site at Benwell Dene last month to meet representatives from Lovell and Placefirst, and discuss opportunities for future engagement and collaboration.

One event already in the pipeline is a site visit by pupils to learn about health and safety, which will be followed by a poster design competition.

The Benwell Dene development will regenerate a six-acre brownfield site located off Delaval Road in the West End of the city, providing a 119 two to four-bedroom houses and 27 two-bedroom apartments for long-term rent.

Placefirst, the developer and long-term operator of the scheme, appointed Lovell’s North East department as the contractor to build the homes in June 2024. Construction started on site in August 2024, and the scheme is expected to be completed by June 2027. Once finished, the homes will be managed by Placefirst.

Phil Jones, Head of Land and Partnerships for the North East region of Lovell, said: “As a socially-responsible developer, we are committed to engaging with and supporting the communities where we build. While regenerating this disused brownfield site and creating new homes for local families will provide significant benefits in themselves, we believe it is important to have a positive impact in other ways.

“Establishing an ongoing relationship with Bridgewater Community Primary School aligns very much with this ethos. It was a great pleasure to welcome Samantha Robson and Adam Beechey to Benwell Dene so we could show them the work that has taken place so far as well as exploring ways in which we can assist the school while this regeneration project is being delivered.

“They were fully engaged during a guided tour of the site and were interested to hear about our plans to build homes which will feature air source heat pumps and solar panels to help residents reduce their energy use while also helping to lower carbon emissions.

“Through a programme of continuous engagement with the school, our aim is to help the staff there give their pupils a more rounded, richer journey though the very important earlier years of their education.”

Phil Jones, Development Director for Placefirst, said: “Engaging with young people about development and construction at an early stage is important not only to help demystify the industry and showcase the diverse range of skills involved, but also potentially inspire future careers. There’s a huge range of opportunities in the built environment, across engineering and design to sustainability, project management and more.”

“With such high demand for housing across the UK, our sector needs to do more to attract the best talent, ensuring we have the skilled workforce required to meet the demand in the future. And while the pupils at Bridgewater might not be putting hard hats on just yet, we hope to highlight how the skills they’re learning in the classroom will be important in the future."

Samantha Robson, Headteacher at Bridgewater School, said: “It was a privilege to be able to visit the site last week. Affordable, rented family homes are much needed in the west end of Newcastle, and we are really pleased this is happening so close to our school.

“Placefirst have a focus on developing a sense of community which is welcomed, and it will complement the work already happening at the Rise.

“We look forward to working closely with both Lovell and Placefirst with the children to develop their knowledge of the career opportunities working in construction as well as other links to the curriculum. Our School Council are excited about visiting the site and being involved in a poster competition.”

The post Placefirst and Lovell to form educational partnership with Newcastle primary school appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.

We've started development on our 146-home build-to-rent neighbourhood in Newcastle as we continue to grow our North East portfolio and tackle the region’s housing challenges head-on.

Benwell Dene, located around two miles west of Newcastle city centre, will deliver a variety of high quality two, three and four-bedroom homes available for long-term rent. Following the granting of planning permission last year, the project involves the redevelopment of a 2.75ha brownfield site in the city which has been vacant for well over a decade.

The homes will be built to a high specification, with a focus on energy efficiency, ensuring residents’ bills are kept as low as possible. All homes will achieve a minimum of EPC B.

This project is part-funded by the £49m North East Combined Authority Brownfield Housing Fund, part of the national ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government £400m Brownfield Housing Fund.

Lovell has been appointed to deliver the development.

The 146 homes delivered at Benwell Dene will help to address the chronic lack of quality housing in the North East.

In partnership with JM Architects and Southern Green, the design of the neighbourhood was carefully considered to respond to local distinctiveness and character and include open space alongside safe and attractive walking routes through the development for the benefits of residents and the wider public.

Other key members of the project team include civil and structural engineers, Curtins, project managers and planning consultants Identity Consult, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing consultants, TACE.

The new neighbourhood at Benwell Dene will add to Placefirst’s portfolio of 1,800 homes across the country and mark a significant step forward in its growth ambitions.
 

David Mawson, CEO of Placefirst, said: "The plans for our Benwell Dene neighbourhood exemplify how effective local partnerships are the first step in delivering thriving communities. The development is at the cutting edge of integrating sustainable features and community-focused amenities to create an inclusive environment. After working closely with Newcastle City Council to secure prime brownfield land and gain planning consent, today’s milestone will see us deliver 146 new homes that are tailored to the specific needs of the area.”

“At Placefirst, we are aligned with the goals of central government and local authorities in addressing the growing housing demand not only in the North East of England, but across the UK. This development is a crucial step in fostering effective public-private partnerships to meet our shared goals.”

Dame Norma Redfearn DBE, Cabinet member for Housing and Land at the North East Combined Authority and Mayor of North Tyneside Council, said:

“The North East is in desperate need of more family homes of all tenures, and we’re making the most of unused and unloved brownfield land to create beautiful new places to live. The Combined Authority is working hard with our partners to get spades in the ground to deliver good quality housing for local people, and create communities with amenities that people need and which stand the test of time. Benwell Dene is an example of this in action and I’m delighted to see the progress on this vital development. We have ambitions to go further and faster to unlock more vibrant places across the North East for people to live.”

Councillor Paula Maines, Newcastle City Council Cabinet Member for a Living City, said: “The Benwell Dene development will be a fantastic contribution to the local area. Ensuring our city has good quality housing in thriving communities is a priority for us and we’re proud to be able to support this project that will provide so many new family homes. Bringing unused land back into use like we are doing at Benwell Dene will not only create a new housing offer in the area through the provision of high quality private rented homes, but also complements the wider regeneration of Scotswood and we’re excited to see this come to life as work progresses.”

The post We Have Started Work on Site for our 146-Home BTR Scheme in Newcastle appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.

The development, located two miles west of Newcastle city centre, will transform the 2.75ha brownfield site which has been vacant for over a decade into a range of high quality two, three and four-bedroom homes, built specifically for long term private rent. 37 of the properties will be fully Part M4(2) accessible and adaptable homes.
 

Designed by JM Architects and Southern Green, Benwell Dene takes inspiration from the historic layout of the site, and will create a modern and sustainable interpretation of the traditional terrace street pattern, with unique communal spaces which maximise views across the Tyne Valley.
 

Other key members of the project team include civil and structural engineers, Curtins, project managers and planning consultants, Identity Consult, and MEP consultants, TACE.
 

Benwell Dene will be one of Placefirst’s most energy efficient and sustainable schemes yet. Homes have been designed to a high specification, with a fabric first approach to maximise thermal efficiency and renewable technologies including photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps, which will lower bills for residents. The scheme will also include electric vehicle charging and an electric car club.
 

The design integrates a network of sustainable urban drainage systems and Placefirst’s well renowned communal green spaces, as well as public open space and an area dedicated to habitat creation and biodiversity net gain.
 

Construction at Benwell Dene is expected to commence later this year. On completion, Placefirst remain on site and maintain and manage every aspect of the neighbourhood, which will include a dedicated resident services manager.
 

Benwell Dene will add to Placefirst’s impressive portfolio of award-winning neighbourhoods in the North East. Other schemes include ‘Scholars View’ in Hetton-le-Hole, a thriving community of 116 new build homes, ‘The Oaks’ at Esh Winning in Durham, where work is underway to build the largest delivery of bungalows in a generation in the area, and ‘The Green’ in Hartlepool, where construction of the final phase began in May. Placefirst were also recently appointed as Sunderland City Council’s development partner for the second phase of its ambitious Riverside Masterplan known as ‘Farringdon Row’.
 

James Litherland, head of planning at Placefirst commented: “We are excited that our plans to transform this prominent site in the heart of the West End have been approved by planning committee. We want to create a thriving community that benefits from unique communal spaces and excellent views across the Tyne Valley.
 

“With a fantastic track record across the North East, our aim is to continue that by setting the standard for single family BTR in Newcastle at Benwell Dene. We look forward to starting on site later in the year.”

The post Placefirst’s 146 home BTR neighbourhood in Newcastle approved at planning committee appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.

Named Benwell Dene, plans for the site, located two miles west of Newcastle city centre, would deliver a variety of two, three and four-bedroom homes available for long term rent. The proposed scheme will redevelop the 2.75ha brownfield site which has been vacant for over a decade.

Benwell Dene has been designed in partnership with JM Architects and Southern Green. The design integrates a network of sustainable urban drainage systems and Placefirst’s well renowned communal green spaces, as well as public open space and an area dedicated to habitat creation and biodiversity net gain.

The plans also respond to the historic layout of the site, working with the existing levels to create a modern and sustainable interpretation of the traditional terrace street pattern, with unique communal spaces which maximise views across the Tyne Valley.

Placefirst has worked collaboratively with Newcastle City Council and earlier this year held a public consultation to present the proposed scheme and engage with local residents for their input.

Other key members of the project team include civil and structural engineers, Curtins, project managers and planning consultants, Identity Consult, and MEP consultants, TACE.

All homes have been designed to a high specification and with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, with a fabric first approach to maximise thermal efficiency and renewable technologies including photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps. The neighbourhood will also accommodate electric vehicle charging and a resident car club. 37 homes have been designed as Part M4(2) accessible and adaptable homes.

Placefirst has an impressive portfolio of single-family rental homes in the North East which continues to grow. Neighbourhoods include ‘The Green’ in Hartlepool, ‘Scholars View’ in Hetton-le-Hole, a thriving community of 116 new build homes, and ‘The Oaks’ at Esh Winning in Durham, where work started in September 2022 to build the largest delivery of bungalows in a generation in the area.

Placefirst manages every aspect of each neighbourhood with specialist teams, from the first rental enquiry through to maintaining each home with an on site presence once complete. Residents at Benwell Dene would benefit from skilled, friendly in-house teams, and dedicated resident services managers.

If approved, work is expected to start later this year.

James Litherland, head of planning at Placefirst commented: “Our plans for Benwell Dene seek to provide quality and choice in the single-family BTR sector which is currently underserved in Newcastle. We have designed a stand out neighbourhood which integrates sustainable features such as an innovative urban drainage network, communal open space and areas dedicated to resident well-being and habitat creation.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to transform this prominent brownfield site in the heart of the West End into an exceptional neighbourhood of 146 new homes. It has been designed specifically for long term rent and residents would benefit from well-maintained, energy efficient homes, with a strong sense of community.”

The post Placefirst submits plans for its 146 home Benwell Dene BTR neighbourhood in Newcastle appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.

The proposed scheme, located two miles west of Newcastle city centre, would deliver a single-family rental neighbourhood with a variety of two, three and four bedroom house types.

Designed in partnership with JM Architects, and supported by local landscape architects Southern Green, national civil and structural engineering consultancy, Curtins, and project managers Identity Consult. The development will bring back into use the 2.75ha brownfield site that has been vacant for 10 years. The site is a legacy of the old Housing Market Renew initiative and is a strategic regeneration priority for the Council.

The public consultation is available from 23^rd January to 10^th February 2023 and invites feedback from local residents. It can be accessed via bit.ly/BenwellDene.

Placefirst’s vision is to deliver a sustainable BTR neighbourhood with energy efficient homes, open spaces, quality management and maintenance. The proposed scheme would bring much needed private rental single-family homes to the area.

The regeneration specialist’s plans provide a modern and sustainable interpretation of terrace housing and would deliver high-spec, energy efficient homes for the modern renter. Placefirst’s renowned approach to communal spaces will include public open space and unique landscape zones that will maximise the fantastic views over the Tyne valley. Placefirst has adjacent landholdings which will be used to enhance biodiversity and provide further surface water attenuation as part of an innovative network of sustainable drainage systems (SuDs). In keeping with the developer’s focus on ESG, various other initiatives are also proposed, including an electric car club for residents.

The development will build on Placefirst’s impressive portfolio of single-family rental homes in the North East which includes ‘The Green’ in Hartlepool, ‘Scholars View’ in Hetton-le-Hole, a thriving community of 116 new build homes which was completed within 2022, and ‘The Oaks’ at Esh Winning in Durham, where work started in September 2022 to build the largest delivery of bungalows in a generation in the area.

Committed to creating quality homes for the single-family rental market, Placefirst manages every aspect of their developments, from the first rental enquiry through to fully managing and maintaining each home and neighbourhood with in-house specialist teams. Residents at Benwell would benefit from a dedicated resident services manager and a characterful, fully maintained, high-quality home.

The post Placefirst launches public consultation for new 146 home BTR scheme in Newcastle appeared first on Placefirst Latest News.