Engineering Works Start At New Council Home Development Site

Engineering works have now started on land off Milford Way in Penderry as the construction of Swansea’s first new council homes in a generation reaches another milestone. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The works follow the completion of land clearance and site set-up works already carried out by Swansea Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ten two-bedroom homes and eight one-bedroom apartments form part of the new building scheme. The homes, set to be among the most energy efficient in the city, will be constructed to innovative Passivhaus standards, including built-in measures to significantly reduce the need for heating. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The term ‘Passivhaus’ means passive house in German. Resulting in ultra-low energy buildings that considerably reduce their ecological footprint, the vast majority of Passivhaus developments across the world have so far been constructed in German-speaking countries and Scandinavia. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Andrea Lewis, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Next Generation Services, said: “The start of engineering works on site marks another milestone for this exciting project, which will help inform other council home construction schemes in future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Incorporating energy efficiency standards of this kind will cut Swansea’s carbon footprint as a city and help tenants save money on their fuel bills. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“While helping tackle Swansea’s need for affordable housing too, these new properties will also be constructed to the Lifetime Homes Standard – a series of design criteria intended to make homes more easily adaptable for lifetime use.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council will soon be advertising for 40 new tradespeople to join their staff to work on schemes including the construction of these new homes. This is in addition to the 14 new apprentices who started in the council’s corporate building and property services team in September. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The team will also be attending primary schools in the area of Milford Way this month to give interactive presentations to children about safe working practices and the risks and dangers of construction sites. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pupils at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Tirdeunaw, Clwyd Primary School, Portmead Primary School and Blaenymaes Primary School will be asked to design a poster on what they’ve learned, incorporating their school logo. Each poster will then be displayed in and around the construction site for the passing public to see. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Jen Raynor, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “It’s encouraging that this project will benefit schoolchildren in the local community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Not only will children learn about safe working practices, but their work will also be prominently featured on the construction site itself, helping them feel part of an innovative project on their doorstep.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A further 12 one-bedroom flats and four two-bedroom flats are planned for land off Ffordd-y-Bryn in Birchgrove as well, also meeting Passivhaus and Lifetime Homes standards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The works for both schemes will be funded by revenue from council rents and not from council tax. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​