SPADE in hand, the Bishop of Carlisle led a turf-cutting ceremony to herald the start of work on ten new low-cost homes in Coniston.
The £1.7 million project by Mitre Housing Association will see six two-bedroom houses, one three-bed family home and three one-bed properties built in the village, for local people.
The flagship affordable scheme is centred on the Diocese of Carlisle's former St Andrew's outdoor activity centre, which closed after summer 2014. The youth centre was acquired by Mitre Housing Association, which has 143 properties across Cumbria and works extensively in the Lake District National Park to provide low-cost homes for locals.
The Coniston scheme is intended to be complete by December 2017 and has been designed by Cockermouth architects Day Cummins to feature existing slate roofs, natural slate finishes and rendered surfaces.
The tender has been awarded to Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd, based at Flimby, Maryport. The project is being funded with grants from the Homes and Communities Agency and South Lakeland District Council, a contribution from Mitre’s reserves and part of a loan funded through Barclays Bank.
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