Work has begun on an innovative development that will bring new energy efficient council homes to Caerphilly.
Caerphilly County Borough Council is developing 6 new 1-bedroom apartments on the site of the former 49 Club in Trecenydd. The homes are expected to be completed in Spring 2022.
Homes will be constructed to Passivhaus standard, consisting of very high levels of insulation, extremely high-performance windows with insulated frames, airtight building fabric and a mechanical heat ventilation system. As well as helping to lower carbon emissions, these buildings will result in low energy costs for tenants and contribute towards housing need in the county borough.
The Council is working in partnership with experienced construction company Willmott Dixon and local Ystrad Mynach based company Caledan Ltd, who are manufacturing the steel frames used in construction.
Welsh Government has awarded £3.1 million through its Innovative Housing Programme to fund development costs at the Trecenydd site, along with a 12 1-bedroom development at Llanfabon Drive, Trethomas.
Council Leader, Cllr Philippa Marsden, said “New Council homes have not been built in the borough for 18 years, so this marks a significant milestone for us. We are incredibly excited to embark on this journey, with the pilot schemes at Trecenydd and Trethomas being the first steps in a large-scale programme of development over the coming years.”
Cllr Lisa Phipps, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, added “There are currently over 4,500 people registered for social housing in the county borough, so developing high quality homes to help meet that demand is a key priority for us.
We’re also committed to exploring innovative ways to reduce tenants’ energy bills and tackle climate change, whilst also maximising the investment being made through our house building programme, by using local supply chains and delivering wider benefits for our communities.”
Andrew Dobbs, Director Willmott Dixon, added ‘‘We are delighted to be delivering new council homes for Caerphilly. By working with local company Caledan, as well as delivering low carbon homes, the project is directly supporting the local economy and local jobs.’’
