First homes on new estate 'emerging from ground'

Deputy council leader Steve Evans (third from right) and resident committee and Keon Homes representatives have seen the new homes being built

The first of almost 200 new homes replacing outdated council maisonettes in an area of Wolverhampton are taking shape, the council said.

Demolition work on properties in Valley Road started in January as part of the initial phase of work to create New Park Village estate.

Seven wheelchair accessible council bungalows on Longford Road are currently under construction and "emerging from the ground", the council said, with a completion date of spring 2026.

Phase one of the £40m scheme will see 98 new homes constructed, with 83 being built in a later phase.

The council said the project was a "major redevelopment" of council housing in the area, which will also see 205 outdated 60s maisonettes flattened and replaced with 188 new energy-efficient properties built by Keon Homes.

Underground surveys and work with utility companies was currently under way, the developer said, with enabling works expected to start later this year and construction beginning in spring 2026.

The regeneration will build new two, three and four-bedroom council homes for rent, as well as increased car parking and improved public open space at the heart of the estate, the council said.

Esther Gogo-Hassan, vice chair of New Park Village committee and resident steering group member, said: "I think it's amazing, from where we have come up to this point.

"We've waited for this for a while and it's good to see the new homes going up."

Councillor Steve Evans, deputy council leader and cabinet member for city housing, said it was "fantastic" to see the construction work under way, which marked the start of many more homes to come.

The redevelopment scheme will be phased over several years to minimise disruption to residents, the council added.