By Andrew Clarke

Last updated at 12:01, Thursday, 03 May 2012

A MAJOR Whitehaven housing development that has remained half-finished for two-and-a-half years is set to be completed.

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Properties at the £1million-plus Jefferson Park, on Low Road, have been lying half-finished and boarded-up after a private developer – Jennyford Ltd, of Lytham-St-Annes – went into receivership at the end of 2009.

Social housing provider Home Group has now bought the 24 unfinished homes and will complete the work.

They will then be offered to people eligible for social housing. The homes had originally been destined for private sale on the open market.

They will be a mixture of three and four-bedroom family homes, along with one and two-bedroom apartments as well as a two-bedroom penthouse.

Staff from Home Group, along with contractors, have been on site for the last two weeks drying out the properties before being able to start work.

The homes are at different stages of completion with some requiring minor work to become habitable while others need major work to be brought up to standard.

Kerry Dryden, Home Group’s assistant project manager, said: “It is a shame that these houses were never completed at the time but I’m delighted that these properties will now be finished and made available for people who desperately need a home.

“We’re hoping to be able to have them ready for people to move into by early autumn.

“We are really pleased to have been able to acquire these properties. We have a lot of properties in West Cumbria and specifically Whitehaven.

“We know people in the local community have been wondering when someone would step in and take on this project and Home Group is delighted that we have been able to do so.”

Ian Tallentire, Home Group director of development, added: “This project just goes to show that at a time when private house builders are struggling to complete projects the social housing sector is using innovative methods to deliver high quality housing stock for families and single people.

“The site has been at a standstill for two and a half years and people living locally will be just as pleased as we are to know these properties will finally be completed.”

The development has been named after the historic Jefferson family of Whitehaven which was involved in the rum trade.

Councillor George Clements, Copeland Council’s portfolio holder for housing and planning, said: “It’s great news that Home Group will be taking on this development and completing this housing.

“We look forward to seeing this progress and the properties becoming available to those who need them. As a council we’re keen to support appropriate housing developments to ensure that supply meets the demand in the borough.”

First published at 11:10, Thursday, 03 May 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk