From supporting regeneration and creating job opportunities to bringing new homes to communities, Ascent Homes - the housebuilding arm of Advance Northumberland - is active across the region. Here, we learn about its developments, its contribution to Northumberland's economy and its vision for the future.
From the coast of South East Northumberland to the Scottish border, from the heart of a famous market town to the edge of a national park, Ascent Homes is having a major impact on the county.
And that impact goes beyond just bricks and mortar.
“Certain parts of Northumberland have seen limited development in recent years from national housebuilders, but Ascent Homes is supporting those areas by providing more homes for people who are local to those locations,” says Paul Errington, Director of Ascent Homes, on the role the company is playing in the region.
“It gives those people the chance to own a home in the place they are from, rather than having to move away.
“We are also seeing people from all over the UK showing an interest in our developments. These range from people who were born within Northumberland and moved away who are now looking to return, to those buyers wanting to relocate to call Northumberland their home.”
Ascent Homes’ developments include Commissioners Quay on Blyth waterfront, and the Kingsmead site in Wooler, where it has provided 72 detached and semi-detached houses, and bungalows.
In Ellington, Ascent Homes is completing the final properties within phases one and two of Wayside Point, which comprises 196 homes. It has commenced on the third phase of 34 homes, with the showhomes opening in January 2024. There will be a further 116 properties across phase four.
There’s also Willow Farm in Choppington, which will feature 327 homes when finished, and a smaller scale development is Allerburn Manor in Alnwick, which includes the conversion of a historic manor house.
On many developments, Ascent Homes has reduced the housing density to give residents more open spaces and larger gardens. The company also feels that it is important to create a sense of community, for instance through incorporating communal greens where people can gather.
Providing affordable housing to residents in Northumberland is also a big priority. For example, at Wayside Point Ascent Homes built 28 homes for affordable rent for Northumberland-based housing association Bernicia, a strategic partner.
And at Willow Farm, it voluntarily provided 27 properties to be offered for either shared ownership or rent via Bernicia.
Sustainability, Paul says, is also high on the Ascent Homes agenda.
He explains: “We’ll keep looking at how we can help people to lower their energy costs by building more energy efficient homes, and how new technology can support us in doing this.”
Ascent Homes is also supporting the regional economy in a number of ways.
Paul says: “We always try to employ people from Northumberland at our sites and use local labour and trades people for more than 80% of our work. We also use local contractors and SMEs where possible.”
Ascent Homes is currently engaged in a major recruitment drive and is bringing trainees and apprentices into the business too.
It is also helping to improve local amenities. For instance, at Wayside Point, Ascent Homes’ planning application included space for a Co-op store to be built at the site – an amenity that the wider Ellington community could benefit from.
There is much more to come…
The company’s strategy centres on both providing new homes and investing in people, and it has created an internal design team – including two architects – to support its aims.
“We’re expecting significant growth in the number of homes we’ll be building over the next two years,” says Paul. “At East Ord Vale in East Ord, a village near Berwick-uponTweed, we will be building 30 homes. Work is due to commence on that site in the New Year.
“And a new development, Hareshaw Fall, will also be coming soon at a beautiful location in Bellingham – it will feature 26 homes.”
Paul sums up the Ascent Homes approach: “We are dedicated to providing the right housing, in the right areas, at the right price for the people of Northumberland.
“We want people to be proud to say they live in our houses…and we want to be proud to hand over the keys!”
To find out more about Ascent Homes’ developments visit ascent-homes.co.uk
