Council homes development underway on disused Bilston site

Construction work has started on the development of 11 new council homes on a vacant site in Bilston.

City of Wolverhampton Council has appointed contractor Morro Partnerships Limited to build the new ‘A’ Rated, gas-free homes with solar panels, on Ettingshall Road.

The development of 7 two-bedroom houses, 2 three-bedroom houses and 2 four-bedroom houses will bring back into use land that has been blighted by fly-tipping in recent years.

The council’s housing development team is leading the project, and all the homes will be available for affordable rent, with construction expected to be complete by summer 2025.

The houses form part of the latest phase of new council homes coming forward across the city, with development works underway or set to start in the coming months on 81 properties across six sites.

Morro Partnerships has adopted sustainable building methods at the Bilston development by using a timber frame construction throughout.

The carbon footprint of a timber frame is less than traditional structures, and this modern method of construction also helps to reduce energy consumption, helping to keep residents’ bills to a minimum.

This is consistent with Morro’s pipeline of affordable homes across the Midlands, as part of their commitment to being better environment and better community makers.

The Ettingshall Road development will have a dedicated segregation zone, with all materials being recycled on-site. This reduces the amount being sent to landfill, whilst enabling materials to be recycled back into the environment quickly and efficiently.

The development will be supported by a £715,000 grant from Homes England.

Councillor Steve Evans, the council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This is another example of the council’s strategy to bring small disused sites back into use for the benefit of our residents and communities.

“There is an increasing demand for housing and this forms part of our pipeline of new council properties we are developing to deliver more good homes in well-connected neighbourhoods across the city.

“This development builds substantially on the investment already made in Bilston in recent years that is seeing the town flourish.

“Residents can enjoy living in a flourishing town, while sustainability in build and fostering thriving communities is important to us, so our collaboration with Morro Partnerships assures both us and our residents that their homes are future-proofed.”

Chris Timmins, Managing Director at Morro Partnerships, said: “Ettingshall Road, alongside our other joint ventures with City of Wolverhampton Council, is an important development for Wolverhampton, helping to meet the extra demand for affordable and council homes across the city and its outskirts.

“Morro prides itself on creating great places to live which are sustainable and built in the interests of its occupants, so to be producing such great, energy-efficient homes is rewarding.

“Our collaboration with City of Wolverhampton Council is exciting, and we’re looking forward to seeing this space being put to great use and becoming a thriving community.”