Morganstone proud to attend the official opening of the NPT Homes Old Furnace Development
Morganstone were proud to attend the recent official opening of the NPT Homes’ much anticipated housing development in Melin, Neath. The £1.7m development, which received £1m funding as part of a Social Housing Grant through Welsh Government’s Smaller Properties Programme, has taken just over 12 months to complete. It includes eleven, two bedroom houses and four, one bedroom flats providing much needed affordable housing for people in the area.
The Welsh Government’s Smaller Properties Programme is aimed specifically at helping to alleviate the impact of the UK Government’s “Bedroom Tax” and is managed and prioritised locally by Neath Port Talbot Council in its role as local strategic housing authority. Funding was awarded to the development as it was determined to be of key importance in meeting the local housing needs.
As a result of NPT Homes’ first new build scheme, over half of the new properties are occupied by existing tenants that downsized so the pressure faced by the bedroom tax has been removed.
As well as providing much needed affordable housing in the area, NPT Homes’ new development, which was carried out by South Wales based contractor Morganstone, provided three people with employment and four apprentices from Cyfle Shared Apprenticeship scheme with the opportunity to gain valuable hands on learning. NPT Homes’ own carpentry apprentices, who needed to undertake some aspects of new build work rather than repair, also worked on the site.
The new site has been named Furnace Place by local pupils at Melin Infants School. After Morganstone conducted a health and safety assembly with the entire school, pupils took part in a safety poster competition with the winning design being displayed on site throughout the duration of the build.
Managing Director of Morganstone, Ian Morgan, said:
“Morganstone are extremely proud to attend the official opening of the Old Furnace developent and to have constructed much needed 1 and 2 bedroom homes within the Neath Port Talbot area. We are also proud that opportunities for training and apprenticeships have been provided on this development. ”
Chair of NPT Homes’ Board, Roger Williams, said:
“As a landlord, we were acutely aware of the demand for one and two bedroom properties within the Neath Port Talbot Borough and this was reflected in the interest we received in these properties.
We are committed to providing a range of community benefits throughout the work we carry out and our first new build has been no exception. Apart from providing well needed one and two bedroom homes in the area, nine local people have been able to benefit through employment or training.
The development was just over a year in delivery and the transformation in the area has been fantastic. I would like to thank everybody involved in the development, including the local residents for their cooperation whilst the new homes were being built.
This will hopefully be the first of many new developments from NPT Homes as we grow as an organisation and deliver what matters in the housing sector.”
Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths, said:
“The completion of Furnace Place is an important milestone for the area. The development has not only provided much-needed affordable housing in Neath but also created valuable jobs and training opportunities and engaged with the local community.
I am particularly pleased the development is made up of smaller properties, helping people affected by the UK Government’s bedroom tax which is having a detrimental impact on many people here in Wales.”