Brambles Farm: Work starts on new Middlesbrough homes

Artist's impression of the new homes to be built in Brambles Farm

Work is under way to create 105 new homes where three tower blocks once stood.

The scheme at Brambles Farm in Middlesbrough will see rental apartments, bungalows and houses built.

Middlesbrough Council and housing group Thirteen said the homes would be "affordable".

Hundreds of tenants were moved from the high-rises four years ago when the buildings needed "significant investment".

The new homes will replace the Milford, Portland, and Jupiter blocks, which were demolished last year.

Tenants living in them received compensation, as well as help with removal and relocation costs, after Thirteen carried out a review of the group's 18 high-rise buildings across the Tees Valley, some of which were shown to have combustible cladding.

'Suitable new homes'

Although Thirteen has said the decision to demolish the blocks was not directly related to the Grenfell Tower disaster, which claimed more than 70 lives in 2017.

The Jupiter site will include 15 bungalows, while Milford and Portland will have 90 new homes, including a mix of bungalows, and two and four-bedroom homes.

Thirteen says the aim of the scheme is to offer "high quality and affordable" homes to families, young professionals and older people.

Thirteen's executive director of development Joy Whinnerah said: "Following the announcement to demolish the blocks, back in 2018, a dedicated relocations team worked closely with residents to ensure they all found suitable new homes.

"Once completed, we were finally able to demolish the blocks last year, and we're so pleased that we're a step closer to delivering these fantastic new homes."

All the properties will be built with a timber frame and promise "environmental efficiencies" and a "lower carbon footprint".