Gentoo starts work on 56 affordable new rental homes in Sunderland
Work has begun on dozens of affordable new Sunderland homes as part of a development which honours the city’s ship building heritage.
Sunderland housing association, Gentoo Group, has started the construction of 56 new affordable homes for rent in Downhill.
Work on the development ‘Keelman Rise’ – named after the Sunderland’s ship building heritage – started last month and energy and regeneration specialist ENGIE will be on site building the new homes over the next year.
When completed, Keelman Rise will mark the end of the regeneration of the site off Kidderminster Road which Gentoo started in 2016, with the construction of 71 new homes.
The project, which has been awarded funds by Homes England, will see 48 two and three-bedroom homes and eight two-bedroom bungalows created on the site.
Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive Officer at Gentoo Group said: “We’re committed to building new homes for rent in Sunderland, and this project kick-starts an exciting time for us here at Gentoo as we work to improve the housing offer in the city by creating and building contemporary, modern new homes for our tenants.
“I’m delighted that work has begun on site at Keelman Rise and working alongside ENGIE and Homes England we look forward to delivering these high quality new homes for rent later this year.”
Louise Buckton, New Build Director at ENGIE, said: “Gentoo have exciting plans for the city over the coming years, so we’re really proud to play a part by continuing our great partnership on this project.
“We look forward to working closely with our partners and the local community to provide new opportunities for residents, as well as creating a modern neighbourhood that complements the regeneration of the wider area.”