Residents move into first new homes on estate

Residents have moved into the first of several new bungalows as part of a major redevelopment of council homes in Wolverhampton.

The seven properties on Longford Road on New Park Village estate had been completed two months ahead of schedule, said the council which described them as energy-efficient and wheelchair-accessible.

The homes are part of a £40m programme set to see outdated 1960s maisonettes flattened and replaced with 98 new properties in phase one and 81 in phase two.

The bungalows have been allocated to existing tenants on the estate. Resident Earl Brown said: "This new home will make life a lot easier for me – and it's nice to have a back garden."

He added: "It's a fantastic upgrade, really brilliant. They've done a great job here with the design and size."

Councillor Steve Evans said the authority was investing heavily in new and replacement housing.

"In the long-term, the redevelopment will contribute to the improvement of tenants' living conditions with the provision of highly energy-efficient new homes, better play areas and green space creating an environmentally friendly estate," he said.

Work on the remaining estate is under way to build two, three and four-bedroom council homes.

Demolition work for the first phase development was completed last year and enabling works on the wider estate were expected to start in spring, with a construction period of 18 to 24 months, the council said.

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