More than 200 affordable homes are now under construction at County Durham’s first ‘garden village’ on the outskirts of Seaham as Esh Construction marks one year on site.
Working in partnership with affordable housing developer Karbon Homes, Esh commenced work on the first phase of the 750 new affordable homes at Seaham Garden Village in Spring 2024 and has now progressed onto two further phases.
The affordable homes on the 78-hectare garden village, located on the A182 going into Seaham town centre, will also utilise one of the UK’s first large-scale mine water heat projects.
In phase one of the scheme, 72 homes have been built to roof height, while phases two and three will see 84 and 57 homes respectively, being built across the development. The first four show homes are due to open later this summer, with the first 12 homes expected to be handed over to Karbon this summer.
Mark Binns, Operations Director at Esh Construction, said: “We’re proud of the progress we have made on site since we broke ground 12 months ago. Working closely with Karbon Homes we are not just constructing houses but developing a forward-thinking and community-focused development.
“The development is a flagship project, not just for Esh but the entire region. Bringing together innovation and sustainability, Seaham Garden Village will set a benchmark for residential development.”
Homes built within phase one and two will consist of a mix of family homes and flats, a number of which will be available for social rent and affordable rent, with the remained available for affordable home ownership through Rent to Buy, a scheme that allows residents to rent before they buy and, as rents are set at 20% less than local market rent, this offers the opportunity to save towards a deposit.
New technology will be used to connect the new homes to the ultra-low carbon mine water heating network. The initiative is being led by Durham County Council, the Mining Remediation Authority and Karbon Homes and will harness geothermal heat from disused coal mines. By utilising water already being pumped to the surface, the project marks a landmark step forward in expanding renewable heat solutions across former coalfield areas.
Paired with boasting a range of energy efficiency technologies, like solar PV panels, the new homes will be well on the way to net zero.
Seaham Garden Village will include a new primary school, convenience retail and health and wellbeing facilities. Taking advantage of the location on the Durham heritage coast, almost 50% of the development will be dedicated to managed green space and a range of landscapes and spaces, with over three miles of landscaped paths and cycle routes.
The 750 homes delivered by Karbon Homes make up half of the 1,500 homes that are due to be built on the garden village through the next 10 years.
Zoey Hawthorne, Assistant Director of Development Delivery at Karbon Homes, said: “It’s great to see the first phase of new homes at Seaham taking shape and we look forward to welcoming our first residents this summer. Esh has been a fantastic construction partner, and we’re pleased to be continuing to work with the team as we move on to phase two.
“As our flagship scheme, Seaham Garden Village is an excellent example of what collaborative working can achieve, utilising new technologies to deliver homes of the future, available for both rent and affordable home ownership.”
The delivery of Seaham Garden Village is supported by funding from Homes England, through Karbon’s Strategic Partnership with the government’s housing delivery agency. Alongside the affordable housing scheme, another 750 homes are being developed by national housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and Miller Homes for outright sale.
We’re proud of the progress we have made on site since we broke ground 12 months ago. Working closely with Karbon Homes we are not just constructing houses but developing a forward-thinking and community-focused development.
“The development is a flagship project, not just for Esh but the entire region. Bringing together innovation and sustainability, Seaham Garden Village will set a benchmark for residential development.”
