The major, £15m re-development of council and MOD houses in the Acomb area of the city to provide almost 150 new homes - more than a third of them affordable - is underway.

Work on demolishing the old MOD and council houses at Tedder Road and Slessor Road began in earnest this week with developers Barratt Homes starting work on the site.

Barratt, fellow developers S.Harrison Group, Home Housing Association and City of York Council are working together on the scheme which follows several years of negotiation between the partners and consultation with residents.

The current estate comprises 98 non-traditional 'Unity' type two and three bed houses. A total of 40 of the homes belonged to City of York Council which, backed by tenants, proposed a wholesale re-development of the area when the MOD sold its houses at the site to Harrison.

The 40 council tenants were consulted in September 2001 and 70 per cent backed the idea of replacement, new homes - with the housing association as landlord - over the other option of refurbishment of their current home.

The re-development phasing has been designed so that no tenants will need to move out of their current home before their new one is ready and planning permission for the whole development was approved last August.

The re-development of the whole estate comprises 148 new two, three and four bedroom houses and two bedroom apartments. In all, 53 of the new homes - 36 per cent - will be affordable and owned and managed by Home Housing Association. A total of 46 will be for rent and seven for discounted sale. The council gained the extra 13 homes under its 25 per cent affordable housing planning gain. The new properties will help tackle overcrowding in some of the current council homes with six, new four bedroom houses and a higher number of three bedroom homes meaning that every household will have the right number of bedrooms to suit their needs. The affordable housing is also 'pepper potted' throughout the site helping to create a truly mixed tenure estate.

Resident Karen Hopcutt said, "It's fair to say that we are all delighted that the work is now underway and we are all looking forward to seeing the first new houses going up on the site - it will make the area a hundred times better."

Ged Walsh, senior development manager for Home Housing Association, said, "We are very pleased that this long anticipated development is now underway. We look forward to working with the 21 existing residents who will be moving into the new homes.

"We are also pleased that this scheme will produce 46 new homes for rent and seven for discounted sale for York people. Our priority now is to make sure the properties are built as soon as possible.

"This development would not have been possible without the proactive support of the city council who have been very successful in achieving the best possible outcome for the city."

Stephen Jenneson, Harrison's construction director, said, "We have worked closely with the council, Home Housing and Barratt to ensure that we are able to best provide this much-needed new accommodation for Tedder Road. We are looking forward to being part of the team that will totally revitalise this run-down part of Acomb."

Councillor Ruth Potter, the council's executive member for housing, said, "I am delighted that we have been able to set the ball rolling on this important development this month. I know how long all of us have been waiting for the moment when we can demolish the existing houses and get the building process underway.

"Everyone can share in the sense of relief that we're getting rid of an eyesore and in the anticipation of a new, development fit for the new century."

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