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Marking the Foundations of Derby’s First Council Homes in 30 Years

Lifelong Osmaston resident and former Rolls-Royce engineer Alan Gill has taken centre stage at the launch of the multi million-pound regeneration project near the plant where he worked for decades.

Mr Gill will cut the first piece of earth at the site of the proposed housing development in Elton Road, near where Rolls-Royce operated until 2008.

He started work at the company as an apprentice engineer in 1961, aged 16, and worked there until 2003. Now, he has helped kick start the transformation of the site, which is being delivered by Bramall Construction in partnership with Derby City Council, Derby Homes and the Homes and Communities Agency.

The new development will see £2.65 million invested in building an environmentally friendly mix of homes -12 apartments and 13 houses. This includes a £1.3m investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) - the national housing and regeneration agency - through the Government's Local Authority New Build programme.

Margaret Allen, regional director of the Homes and Communities Agency, said:

"We are pleased to support this high quality development that will allow Derby City Council to start building their own affordable homes. With the properties achieving levels four and five of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), we are creating a new community that is both sustainable and has minimum impact on the environment."

The homes will be built to Levels 4 and 5 of the Government's Code for Sustainable Homes, which is a first for the city.

The development also represents the first Council homes to be built in the city for 30 years.

Mr Gill, who is a member of the Council's local residents' consultation group and lives in Addison Road, said: "I'm delighted to have been asked to play a part in launching this development, as we have been working hard with the partners to see these improvements delivered in this area.

"Everyone living here wants to see better housing, with gardens and spaces for children to play. This is an exciting new start for the area, and will help the wider regeneration of Osmaston."

Cabinet Member for Housing and the Environment Councillor Robert Troup said:

"These will be the first Council homes to be built in the Osmaston area for over 30 years. This scheme will help strengthen local communities by providing better housing and opportunities for local people to be involved. This is about creating better communities for the people who live here, like Mr Gill, and instilling pride in an area that is of great importance to Derby. We're delighted that this scheme is off to a positive start."

Bramall Construction Managing Director Neil Baxter said: "It's important to us that local people play a part in this landmark scheme for Derby and it's great that Mr Gill has helped start the work on site.

"When complete, these homes will represent a great step forward in the provision of high quality affordable housing in Derby. But this is not just about building better homes; we also intend to train and employ local people, where possible, during the construction of these homes, helping to further regenerate the area by providing opportunities for them to build better lives for themselves.

"We're looking forward to delivering this exciting project."

The scheme is scheduled to be completed by Christmas 2010.