A £3m social housing development to build 17 retirement bungalows in Forest Town has been officially opened.

The Mansfield District Council scheme on Flint Avenue includes a one-bedroom home and 16 two-bedroom properties, four of which are wheelchair accessible.

They have been built with national developer Wates Living Space, which has also landscaped the grounds with new planting and outdoor fitness stations, and refurbished the existing community centre.

The building work has been used as an opportunity to train five apprentices as well as provide work experience for eight people and trainee placements for local people.
All the homes are being rented to over-60s tenants through Mansfield District Council’s Homefinder service, with some of the tenants downsizing from larger council homes.

Mayor Kate Allsop opened the homes at a ceremony with deputy mayor Coun Mick Barton, Coun Martin Wright (member for Holly Ward), some of the new tenants and Alistair McCallum, key account director for Wates Living Space’s homes division at Flint Avenue Community Centre.

Coun Barton said: “We are proud to be leading the way in providing new, local authority-owned, affordable social housing in this area and going some way to meeting the housing needs in the district.

“Not only will this scheme provide high-quality homes for some of our elderly residents, it will help to free up much-needed larger family council homes in the area.

“It also will create a valuable new park in the area, complete with a ‘trim trail’ and somewhere to walk the dog.”

Joanne Jamieson, managing director of Wates Living Space’s homes division, said: “Mansfield District Council’s investment has resulted in the creation of high-quality homes that offer residents security, affordability and, above all, comfort.

“The investment has come with a valuable opportunity to benefit the local community and this project has been particularly rewarding thanks to the partnership approach our team has fostered with the council to create employment and training for local people.”

Among the new tenants are Lewis and Susan Gray, who have moved into one of the homes adapted for people in wheelchairs. Mr Gray is wheelchair-bound due to spinal problems.

The couple and their son, Joshua, 15, (pictured) who is on the autistic spectrum, were living in a housing association property, but Mr Gray’s mobility problems meant they were keen to move into a property on one level.

“We saw these properties advertised and I ticked every box,” said Mr Gray. “We were lucky to get one and it has been a blessing. I am looking forward to getting into the garden.”

Pensioner Mrs Margaret Morton said she applied for one of the Flint Avenue bungalows after they were advertised in the council’s tenants’ magazine Contact.

She and her husband, Fenwick, were living in a four-bedroom council home on Bellamy Road, Mansfield, but were keen to downsize.

“We love (our two-bedroom bungalow), it’s great,” said Mrs Morton. “It is so quiet.”
“We have only been here a week but already I am sleeping better.”