Bolton builds first council houses in 20 years

THE first council homes to be built built in Bolton for more than 20 years have now been completed.

Some 17 new homes have been built in Heywood Street, in Little Lever, to help alleviate a shortage of affordable properties.

The £1.8m scheme has been funded by Bolton Council and the Homes and Community Agency (HCA).

Bolton Council’s executive member for housing, Councillor Nick Peel and Homes and Community Agency’s Area Director for Greater Manchester, David Chilton, both inspected the finished properties earlier this week.

They consist of of 10 two-bedroom apartments, five three-bedroom houses, one four-bedroom house and one three-bedroom property, which has been specifically adapted for a tenant with disabilities.

Tenants will be moving into the homes over the next few weeks.

The scheme also contains leisure space and parking provision, with shared communal allotment spaces to the rear of the apartments.

Cllr Peel said: “These are the first homes to have been built in more than two decades in Bolton. Like all local authorities we have a real shortage of affordable housing and these houses will help provide much-needed new housing for local people.

“These are good quality, spacious homes with reduced running costs.

“The houses have solar panels that help heat the water to reduce the costs of providing hot water and photovoltaic panels which generate power to reduce electricity bills.”

Bolton at Home, the council’s housing management company, will manage the new homes, which were built by contractor Southdales.