Mereside affordable housing development now fully let

The £10m new affordable housing redevelopment at Troutbeck Crescent in Mereside now has all its homes let out to tenants.

Developed by Blackpool Council and managed by Blackpool Coastal Housing (BCH), the scheme offers a total of 75 high quality, affordable social housing rented homes to families and individuals, including accessible living units with low running costs.

Built by Blackpool based company Tyson Construction and designed by Preston architects Cassidy + Ashton, Troutbeck is an innovative and modern social housing vision that offers contemporary designed living space to households and an inviting gateway into Blackpool.

Any company employed to work by Blackpool Council is asked to give back to the local community through Social Value commitments. As part of this commitment, Tyson employed 12 new apprentices, with many being retained after the project. Tyson have also helped local community projects through a £5,000 Troutbeck Community Fund, seeing local community groups and organisations benefit from funding or voluntary time.

The scheme, developed by Blackpool Council which is managed on behalf of the council by Blackpool Coastal Housing (BCH) offers a total of 75 contemporary designed, affordable, high quality social housing rented homes to families, individuals and includes accessible living units with low running costs. It has replaced the original six three-storey blocks of 81 existing flats that were on the site.

Built by Blackpool based company RP Tyson Construction and designed by Preston architects Cassidy + Ashton, Troutbeck is an innovative and modern social housing vision and design that offers both health and wellbeing living space to households and an inviting gateway into Blackpool.

The project has been funded by Blackpool Council but is self-financing through tenant rents and has been supported with grant funding from Homes England under the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21

Troutbeck resident Richard Ramsbottom needed more suitable accommodation due to medical conditions. He said: “My previous accommodation had stairs and with an upstairs bathroom it was a big problem for me to manage.

‘’I now have an accessible living space all on one level, with big windows and gardens. This is so much better for me. It is a great development.”

Chris Haywood is Blackpool born and bred and started out as a bricklayer eight years ago and last year graduated with a degree in quantity surveying. Chris worked on the Troutbeck development and said: “It’s great to be a part of local work on sites in Blackpool.

‘’Contracts like this housing scheme allows us to appoint local sub-contractors which generates employment in the area.”

Cllr Ivan Taylor, Blackpool Council Deputy Leader with responsibilities for housing, said: “This has been one of many significant investment schemes and projects across the town that are making Blackpool better.

“Troutbeck has provided better living accommodation as well as benefitting our local economy through local contracts, job creation and skills learning opportunities, and it has helped local community organisations.”

Blackpool Coastal Housing’s Chief Executive, John Donnellon, said: “This is a scheme that the council and Blackpool can be proud of, replacing ageing accommodation with modern high quality housing for Blackpool residents. Giving Blackpool stable housing options is a key priority for the town and Troutbeck represents that ambition at its very best.”

Cassidy + Ashton as lead architect co-ordinated all design services for the scheme. Lawrence McBurney, director at Cassidy + Ashton said: “Our vision for Troutbeck from the start was to provide modern affordable housing for the residents, as well as an impressive gateway into Blackpool.

“We have an excellent working relationship with Blackpool Council, who were very open to our new ideas and innovative contemporary designs. It has been a great collaborative project to work on and is a credit to everyone involved.”

Managing Director of local Construction company RP Tyson Construction, Jeremy Whittle, commented: “Blackpool is our home and being chosen by the council to deliver this significant, high-profile project has been genuinely momentous for us.

This project has enabled us to deliver on so many special outcomes for the benefit of the wider Blackpool community.”