By Margaret Crosby

Published at 11:38, Friday, 28 December 2012

FAMILIES have moved into new homes for Christmas as Home Housing has now completed work on the Jefferson Park development at Low Road, Whitehaven.

Home sweet home: Leanne Lagan, with 10-month-old daughter Alyssia, happy to be in their new home for Christmas, pictured with Home Group’s Mark Buchanan, customer services

The social housing provider took the site over in May after it had been abandoned half finished by a private developer who ran out of money. The 24 homes, now fully finished and occupied, had been boarded up since August 2010.

They were originally intended for private sale but will now be added to the town’s stock of social housing.

Twenty-three-year-old mother of two Leanne Lagan is among the first occupants having moved into a three bedroom home.

“It’s great to have been able to move in, especially in time for Christmas and we have a new home to start the New Year with,’’ she said. “The house is modern, warm and most importantly for me is close to school for my four-year-old daughter Maigan. It’s a lovely family home and I’m sure we’ll be happy here for many years to come.”

Jefferson Park, named after the family involved in Whitehaven’s historic rum trade, comprises two, three and four-bedroom homes, some one/two bedroom apartments and a two-bedroom penthouse.

Mark Buchanan, Home Group customer service partner, said: “It’s really good news that these homes have been completed. These properties had been at a standstill for two and a half years and local people had been wondering what would happen to them.

“It’s really rewarding not only to see the buildings completed but to see families move into them. There’s a mixture of property types here and it should make for a really vibrant community. These homes are a very high standard and it’s a delight to see them finally being put to the use they were designed for.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk