By Mark Gratton – Land and Partnerships Director
When working with partners, our experience and knowledge can help to transform even the most challenging sites into much-needed housing. Read on to find out more about our work with developer Keon Homes and the City of Wolverhampton Council, which led to the successful regeneration and redevelopment of the former Springfield Brewery in Wolverhampton into 64 new build-to-rent homes.
Springfield Brewery project background
The former Springfield Brewery was a brownfield site with lots of untapped potentials but, without the right team of specialists to transform it, had been left untouched for years. In fact, after brewing had stopped on site in the 1990s, a fire in 2006 then destroyed much of what remained of the original structure.
A sustainable site regeneration approach
We worked with partners Keon Homes to ensure that the new housing development scheme and regeneration would appeal to target customers in the area, and in the longer term be a development that could fit in with the council’s vision for the local community – including meeting sustainability targets and protecting the heritage of the location.
To achieve this criteria, the development was designed to protect and enhance the identity of the area. For instance, to reflect as much of the site’s original heritage as possible, features and infrastructure such as the retaining wall surrounding the entire site and the restored grammar school gates were maintained and used as design inspiration for the regeneration of other areas of the site.
Compliance with the council’s ambitious ESG agenda and sustainability criteria was also taken into account, which included a ten percent energy generation on all schemes and EV car charging points for each unit.
Project results
Thanks to our close working relationship with Keon Homes to deliver the ambitious scheme, the mixed tenure scheme was completed in just 12 months and all 64 homes were completely reserved off plan.
When a partnership approach is taken, developers, build-to-rent partners, and local authorities can achieve spectacular results. To bridge the housing gap, local authorities have a key role to play in providing leadership ‘on the ground’ in terms of meeting the housing needs of their communities.
Through cooperation with the right combination of skilled experts, willing housebuilders, and a suitable site, build-to-rent can meet the needs of local authorities as they look to deliver on their housing targets.
To learn more about partnership opportunities please contact us www.wiselivinghomes.co.uk/contact/