The first properties in Phase 8 of Douglas Borough Council’s Upper Pulrose public sector housing scheme - 22 two-bedroom apartments in Hazel Close - have been completed.
Representing an investment in the region of £6 million, the project is being realised through a partnership between the Council and the Department of Social Care. When completed, the scheme will provide 28 two-bedroom apartments, together with two two-bedroom, 10 three-bedroom, including one with disabled facilities, and three four-bedroom houses.
Douglas architectural practice Savage and Chadwick designed the scheme. The firm’s Mark Savage said: ‘Savage and Chadwick is pleased to announce that the first portion of the Upper Pulrose development has now been handed over to Douglas Borough Council. This accommodation is being handed over nearly six months ahead of schedule and credit should therefore be given to the main contractor, Dandara Contracting, and the design team.
‘The apartments are grouped around a central landscaped courtyard and the remainder of this phase of development is due for handover in late September this year. There are two future phases to the Upper Pulrose redevelopment which will, in total, create 124 homes, including a sheltered housing scheme and a large area of public open space. The whole project is due for completion early in 2015.’
At the official handover on May 25th Douglas Borough Council’s housing and property advisory committee lead member Councillor Carol Malarkey said: ‘The robust partnership between the Council and the Department of Social Care, as seen with the completion of this first block of new apartments in phase eight, marks the continuing regeneration of Upper Pulrose. This project, together with schemes nearing completion in Lower Pulrose, demonstrates our shared commitment to provide quality public sector housing.’
Minister for Social Care Chris Robertshaw MHK said: ‘I have visited the latest phase of the redevelopment of Pulrose at Hazel Close and was pleased with what I found. Considerable effort has gone into making sure that the acoustic and thermal values of the new apartments are of the highest standard. This will ensure that residents are both comfortable and able to retain a sense of privacy through the inhibition of noise pollution. The layout is innovative and the finishes good – I hope that residents are very happy with their new homes.’
