North East developer, Modo Bloc, has submitted plans to sympathetically regenerate the derelict site of an old petrol station at Neville's Cross, Durham, with a development of high quality, family homes.
Modo Bloc plans to build 12 four-bedroom, modern family townhouses on the site, which sits just off the A167 Newcastle Road.
Hexham and London-based Greatspace Architects have designed the development to sensitively fit in to its Conservation Area location.
To ensure the properties’ elevations are in harmony with neighbouring homes, they sit on a low site and incorporate sunken gardens, a storey which is below ground level and a top floor that is nestled into the roofline.
The design detail proposed is premium specification, using similar materials to those used on existing, nearby homes – with a contemporary twist.
The new homes will be environmentally conscious, utilising the latest technology to help minimise the impact of the development.
MD of Modo Bloc, George Jenkins, said: “We have listened carefully to what nearby residents would like to see on the site and have gone to great lengths in the design process to create attractive, family homes that will have a positive impact on the local area.
“Preparing a viable scheme has not been without its challenges, given the number of issues that any redevelopment of this site needs to overcome. “The homes will help meet the high demand for premium family living, in a popular location.”
The townhouses will include an innovative undercroft parking system to make efficient use of the available space and an attractive landscaped perimeter.
The planning application, supported by Newcastlebased planning consultants BH Planning & Design, is currently under consultation at Durham County Council.
Modo Bloc recently opened Chelmsford Lofts, a stylish 8-flat aparthotel in Sandyford, and sees this as the start of a new phase of growth and regional expansion. This £1.5m development – originally three tired flats which had to be gutted, extended and refurbished – has taken two years to bring to market. Modo Bloc has also just broken ground on a seven-townhouse site in Ouseburn Valley, overlooking the River Tyne. It’s a busy time for the company which is also working on another four sites in Ouseburn, Newcastle. George Jenkins said: “Our future projects are getting larger and more substantial. I have ambitious growth plans, which involve gradually expanding into other regions of the UK with bigger and more complex developments.
“Now that I’ve made the move from refurbishments to new builds, I look forward to building more homes and developing more land to increase my pipeline even further. We’re always looking at interesting investment and development options in the North East and beyond.”
