Kedward Avenue

Kedward Avenue is a development of 105 high-quality, affordable homes which was brought forward by Thirteen in partnership with Middlesbrough Council, Homes England, and other partners.

The scheme was built on the site of three demolished tower blocks and offers a mix of apartments, bungalows, and two, three, and four-bedroom houses across two sites in the Brambles Farm area. All homes were built with timber frame. 

Helping to raise the bar for sustainable living in Teesside, four bungalows and six semi-detached two storey homes were built to meet net zero carbon standards. 

These 10 homes benefit from enhanced insulation, triple-glazed windows, air source heat pumps and a mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system. Photovoltaic solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicle charging points were also installed externally.

To prepare the properties for net-zero carbon status, challenges around architectural and design aspects had to be navigated as well as educating the project team on key protocols.

While the remaining properties include standard 140mm insulation, the net zero properties include an additional 25mm of insulation bonded to the plasterboard to prevent cold bridging, while insulation depths beneath the concrete are enhanced from 100mm to 150mm. Door frame sizes had to be adapted to allow the MVHR units to be installed and wider pipework had to be catered for.

Throughout the project we demonstrated a strong commitment to social, economic, and environmental sustainability in the area. 

Over the course of the scheme, 97% of all operatives working on the Kedward Avenue development lived in the North East, with over 3,000 weeks worked by residents which is equivalent to 65 full-time roles. The project provided 139 apprentice or T Level training weeks, alongside three weeks of meaningful work experience placements to young people looking to kickstart their careers. 

Community investment saw £10,000 in donations to local community projects including over £2,000 to help Active Tees Valley CIC set up a new website, and £2,000 to help a local eco-shop support more families in need. An extra £5,000 was donated towards mental health campaigns benefiting staff and the wider community.