Government programme helps unlock stalled housing project

Funding kickstarts construction of 26 housing units in Kings Heath.

Property developer BNK Construction has completed the first of two residential developments in Birmingham using a £338,000 investment from the Unlocking Stalled Housing Sites programme.

The Kings scheme on York Road, Kings Heath, saw the demolition of a derelict snooker hall which previously stood on the brownfield site for over twelve years. In its place, BNK Construction has built “Cue Gardens” – 12 housing and apartment units, providing sought after quality homes in the area.

A second site, The Wood Norton scheme, in Moseley, is due to complete at the end of the year. The site also presented complex remediation requirements due to its unlevel ground. In combination the two projects will transform over an acre of brownfield land into 26 units, offering a mix of 1/2/3 bed houses and apartments.

BNK Construction is a family founded and award-winning developer with over 25 years’ experience as general building and roofing contractors, providing design and build services across a wide range of developments.

Bobby Kaushal from BN Kaushal commented: “We are proud to have been able to regenerate two complex sites within Birmingham to support the much-needed housing required for the region. Both sites had long been in need of remediating and were something of an eyesore for the local community. We’re delighted to have brought the sites back to life and the GBSLEP’s support made this possible.”

These schemes are just two of twenty successful residential developments that have benefited from the Unlocking Stalled Housing Sites programme, funded by the Government’s Local Growth Fund and managed by Finance Birmingham.

Launched to support residential property developers within the GBSLEP area to accelerate the delivery of housing sites where for various reasons development had stalled, the programme has committed more than £6 million to support the delivery of over 500 new homes across Greater Birmingham.

Chris Loughran, Deputy Chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, GBSLEP commented: “The Unlocking Stalled Housing Sites programme was designed to encourage companies like BNK Construction to develop brownfield sites like this, and we’re pleased to have been able to offer a helping hand to provide high-quality new homes which will help meet demand for housing in the West Midlands.

“We are committed to supporting the development of disused and derelict sites and looking forward to recognising further successful projects in future.”

Andy Green, Investment Director at Finance Birmingham, added: “Without investment, these sites wouldn’t have been able to progress due to their inherent complexities, particularly in terms of remediating the brownfield land. In collaboration with the GBSLEP, we are pleased to have helped in the regeneration of derelict land and more importantly boost the supply of quality housing in the region.”