First Choice, Lovell exchange £13m affordable housing contract

The housing association will deliver 47 homes at the housebuilder’s Eden Park scheme in Langley.

First Choice Homes has inked a £13.1m contract with Lovell Homes to deliver affordable properties at the development on the former Rothay Drive clearance site.

First Choice will provide 10 two-, 22 three-, and 15 four-bedroom family houses. There will be 19 homes available for shared ownership, 17 for rent to buy, and 11 for affordable rent.

Joel Owen, director of development at First Choice, said: “Ever-rising demand for affordable homes, high house prices, and lack of affordable options means many buyers in the area struggle to make their first step onto the housing ladder.

“At this development, we have agreed a variety of property types and are offering a range of tenures to help locals secure the quality homes they need and make home ownership a reality for more people.”

The £13m contract forms part of the housing association’s development strategy to deliver 1,100 energy-efficient homes in Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside, Kirklees, and Calderdale by 2026.

In terms of sustainability, all properties at Eden Park will feature an electric vehicle charging point and are set to achieve an EPC B rating.

The wider Langley project, which has attracted £2.4m Homes England grant funding, will deliver a total of 55 houses, due for phased completion between August 2023 and early 2024.

Elsewhere, First Choice is working with Kellen Homes to build 45 mixed-tenure houses at its Mill Vale scheme. A further 40 homes are under construction on Rochdale Road East in Heywood, with another 30 properties off Boothroyden Road in Middleton due for completion this summer.

To find out more about the Langley project, search for application number 20/01506/FUL on Rochdale Council’s planning portal.