THE first tenants are set to move into brand new, fully adapted council bungalows built on the site of Leicester's former Saffron Lane velodrome.
Designed for wheelchair users, the eight bungalows are the first homes to be completed as part of a wider £11 million city council housing development off Leicester’s Saffron Lane.
Built by Lovell on behalf of Leicester City Council, the development has transformed the 1.4-hectare brownfield site into a new neighbourhood of council housing. Once complete, it will provide 38 new homes - a mix of houses and bungalows - all built to high environmental standards.
The bungalows are tailored to wheelchair users, providing high-quality accommodation that can meet tenants’ needs for years to come.
Their energy-efficient design, which includes heat pumps and solar panels, will also help reduce household energy bills.
The scheme was made possible through £700,000 of Government funding from the Brownfield Land Release Fund, which enabled Leicester City Council to prepare the site for redevelopment.
Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, Leicester City Council's deputy city mayor for housing, said: “This scheme forms part of our ongoing commitment to increasing the supply of high-quality affordable housing in Leicester.
“It’s fantastic to see the completion of these new council homes, and to know that the first residents are ready to move into them.
“The fully adapted bungalows will make a real difference to people who need accessible housing, giving them modern, comfortable homes that support independent living while also benefiting from lower energy costs.
“Our priority is always to build on brownfield sites such as this one, but the financial viability of this makes it very difficult. We have only been able to develop this site thanks to additional Government funding, and we would welcome further assistance from the Government to do more of this in the future.”
“This scheme forms part of our ongoing commitment to increasing the supply of high-quality affordable housing in Leicester and creating homes that meet the needs of residents now and in the future.”
Construction of the remaining homes is continuing, with the rest of the development due to be handed over in phases.
Photos: Saffron ward councillors Elly Cutkelvin (deputy city mayor for housing) and Ted Cassidy at the site of the new bungalows off Saffron Lane.