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.

Placefirst has been appointed as Preferred Development Partner by Sunderland City Council to deliver 140 new homes at Farringdon Row, the second residential neighbourhood within the transformative Riverside Sunderland masterplan. The sustainable new community will benefit from views across the Wear and the regenerated Riverside Park and support the diversification of the housing offer and repopulation of the city centre.

Placefirst will deliver an exemplar BTR neighbourhood of high-quality energy efficient homes specially designed for long term rent. It will also feature a network of communal and public open spaces that will enhance connectivity throughout the new Riverside Sunderland community.

The project team will include locally based architects IDP, development consultants Identity Consult and landscape architects Southern Green.

A planning application is anticipated later in the year, with development planned to start in spring 2024.

Placefirst manage every aspect of their neighbourhoods, from the first rental enquiry through to fully maintaining each home with an on-site presence once complete. Residents at Farringdon Row would benefit from skilled, friendly in-house teams, and dedicated resident services managers.

Placefirst will also support Sunderland City Council and its partners in the funding and delivery of up to 80 homes at Nile and Villiers in Sunniside, which Placefirst will then own and manage. The scheme forms part of the Council’s City Centre Housing Ecosystem which received support from Round 1 of the Levelling Up Fund.

These two developments, part of Sunderland’s ambitious social and economic regeneration programme, will add to Placefirst’s strong portfolio of single-family rental homes across the North East which is growing at a fast pace. This includes the thriving community of 116 homes at ‘Scholars View’ in Hetton-le-Hole which completed in 2022, and ‘The Oaks’ in Esh Winning, Durham, where work is underway to build 89 new homes including 54 bungalows. Placefirst also submitted planning recently for its 146 home Benwell Dene neighbourhood in Newcastle.

David Mawson, chief executive officer at Placefirst commented: “We are excited to be working in partnership with Sunderland City Council on these projects and building on our existing track record of creating high-quality neighbourhoods in this region.

“The Riverside Sunderland masterplan is one of the most ambitious residential regeneration projects in the UK and Farringdon Row and Nile Villiers will play a big part in setting the standard for BTR developments throughout the North East. We look forward to progressing with the plans and bringing both these schemes to life, bringing much needed quality new rental homes to the area.”

Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, said: “The rate of transformation at Riverside Sunderland is rapid, and reflects our determination and ambition to make this a world-class place to live, work and play.

“Building high-quality homes in exciting new communities is key to our plan for Riverside Sunderland, and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Placefirst to bring forward the second residential scheme in this game-changing new urban quarter.”

The post BTR provider Placefirst appointed to deliver 220 homes in Sunderland 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.

Plans to deliver 116 purpose-built rental homes on a former primary school site in Hetton-le-Hole, Sunderland have been approved by the city council.

The scheme from award-winning build-to-rent (BtR) developer Placefirst will redevelop the former Easington Lane primary school site – that has remained vacant since the school was relocated in 2006 – with a mix of house-types including bungalows, mews homes and townhouses to appeal to households of all sizes.

Properties will range from two to four-bedroom homes with high-quality public realm, including a new children’s play area and a range of shared landscaped courtyard gardens overlooked by the properties.

Following the granting of planning permission, Placefirst aim to commence construction this Summer, working with in-house contractor, Placefirst Construction.

The Hetton-le-Hole scheme will be Placefirst’s second family build-to-rent community in the North East, following The Green in Hartlepool where 86 homes have been developed around a new urban park.

David Smith-Milne, managing director of Placefirst, said: “Our plans for Hetton-le-Hole will deliver best in class rental homes for a growing demographic that rely on renting for their housing needs. Through Placefirst’s build-to-rent approach our residents are at the forefront of everything we do – we think long-term about the places we create and do as much as we can to build homes in an attractive, professionally managed setting where our residents enjoy living.

“More families are renting than ever before and the need for a reliable, quality offer has never been greater. Our homes offer a genuine, high-quality alternative for working families priced out of the housing market, or who prefer to the flexibility of renting.”