Equans and The Riverside Group have completed work on 41 affordable homes on Bowness Road in Middleton, Greater Manchester.

The £5.8m new-build scheme consists of two and three-bedroom homes, as well as two-bedroom bungalows. 

The homes have been built on a brownfield site, which was previously home to the Falcon pub. Riverside delivered the homes with funding from its strategic partnership with Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency.

Equans completed the scheme in partnership with Riverside and this development is part of our joint ongoing commitment to investing in the local area.

The completion of these homes in Middleton follows the 28 new affordable homes recently constructed as part of the Newby Drive development in July 2021. 

The new development also features new community features that will benefit local people, including a children’s playground and a public green space. As part of the scheme a community project was led by Equans and Riverside, fitting a brand-new kitchen in the Burnside Community Centre.

Equans has also been committed to carrying out work in the local community such as work experience for local people and careers events in local schools.

Steven Gregory, Regional Director (North West) at Equans UK & Ireland, said: “We’re pleased to have finished work on the Bowness Road scheme in Middleton; a scheme which has turned unused land into much-needed affordable homes. Equans has, and continues to be heavily involved in the community around the scheme, with our dedicated social value team giving back into the areas we work in.”

Julie Gray, Riverside’s head of development, said: “This development is part of our ongoing commitment to transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods. We have pledged to build 760 affordable homes this year and these 41 homes are part of that promise. The new homes have been built to a very high standard and are energy efficient, which will help keep energy bills down for our customers. 

“As well as providing new affordable homes for the area we’re also really proud to have worked with the local community to install a new kitchen for the local community centre, who have since thanked us for the work.” 

Councillor Daniel Meredith, cabinet member for highways and housing for Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The delivery of these new affordable homes on Bowness Road is part of a long-standing partnership and land pooling agreement between Rochdale Council and Riverside to bring forward new homes across several sites on Langley.

“These objectives were agreed with the community in 2010 with many of the sites already developed. These new affordable homes will help those families currently on the council’s housing waiting list to access much needed family accommodation. Working together with ward councillors to deliver the overall Langley masterplan, we will see more affordable homes to buy and to rent, delivered in the future.”