The head of the national housing and regeneration agency is to visit Corby to celebrate the opening of the first show homes at Priors Hall Park, the major parkland development to the north east of the town.
Sir Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), is travelling to Corby on Thursday 23rd September to see for himself the outstanding progress being made at Priors Hall Park, one of several schemes in North Northamptonshire to benefit from Government funding through the HCA’s Kickstart Housing Delivery Programme. Covering almost 1000 acres, Priors Hall Park is twice the size of the Olympic Park site in Stratford. In December 2009, it secured £12.4m of Kickstart funding to deliver 388 new homes, the largest single allocation – in terms of homes unlocked – to any scheme in the country.
As well as opening the first show homes to be completed on the site, Sir Bob will meet some of the 60 buyers who have already reserved homes at Priors Hall Park including a number of first time housebuyers.
He will also have the chance to speak to a number of local students who have benefited from the Bela Partnership Apprenticeship Scheme, which has already given 30 students from Tresham College an invaluable grounding in the day to day workings of a major construction site.
Sir Bob’s visit to Corby follows an invitation from the local delivery vehicle, the North Northants Development Company (NNDC), which in conjunction with Corby Borough Council and the developer and landowner Bela Partnership, prepared the successful joint bid for Kickstart funding in 2009.
This resulted in a commitment of £20.8m to housebuilding projects in North Northamptonshire, which will deliver a total of 600 new homes by March 2011. Progress at Priors Hall Park and Bela Partnership’s Colyers Gardens, Kingswood development has also provided a significant boost for individuals and companies involved in the region’s construction industry.
The HCA has also provided funding through its LA New Build Programme for the construction of 82 new Council houses in Corby – the first to be built for over 30 years, 30 of which are at Colyers Gardens. By enabling such housing schemes to move forward, the HCA’s Kickstart funding will also ensure developer contributions are available to fund continued improvements to local infrastructure in the form of new roads, schools and other community facilities.
Priors Hall Park is already home to the £30m Corby Business Academy and has provided the site for the £8.3m Corby Enterprise Centre to be opened in October 2010.
Simon Evans, Chief Executive of NNDC, said:
“The visit of Sir Bob Kerslake is a great opportunity for local public and private partners to show exactly what has been achieved in North Northamptonshire through government funding. Despite the current economic climate, the HCA has provided strong support for new housing, particularly in Corby and Wellingborough, and we welcome Sir Bob’s personal interest in the continued regeneration and growth of the area.”
Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the HCA, said:
“With Corby having one of the fastest growing populations in England, our significant investment is helping to support the town’s ambitious growth and regeneration aspirations.
“It will be great to meet some of the first residents at Priors Hall Park and hear first hand from the people now living in the thriving new community that is being created.”
Corby Borough Council’s Lead Member for Regeneration, Cllr Jimmy Noble, said:
“‘We are very pleased to be able to welcome Sir Bob Kerslake to Corby to see firsthand what has been achieved through the significant Kickstart funding awarded. This boost has helped Corby become the fastest growing place in the country and has provided new homes, new jobs and further investment into the Borough.
‘Already we have had great interest in both Priors Hall and Kingswood developments and look forward to residents making these vibrant new communities their home.”