Topping out for Gateshead council homes

Work on Gateshead Council’s first new rented homes for 25 years has reached a major milestone with a topping-out ceremony on site.

Eight new two-bed bungalows in Hallgarth, Winlaton will replace smaller bungalows that were not in line with the Government’s Lifetime Homes Standard.

The homes, which will be rented to over 55s, are being constructed by Gateshead Council’s Local Environmental Services team, who won the contract against several UK-wide construction companies.
The £900,000 scheme will see the homes managed by The Gateshead Housing Company, with tenants expected to move in by November.

"These will be the first new Council houses to be built in Gateshead in over 20 years, and they will be among the greenest homes in the borough," said Pat Ritchie, North East director of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

"I’m pleased that HCA support is helping Gateshead to build high quality homes to replace outdated bungalows that had become unpopular and difficult to let."