A housing development which was paused for more than a year due to a contractor’s collapse is on track for completion by autumn 2026.
The Birch Fields development on Rolleston Drive, near Arnold, hit a bump in construction after the collapse of contractor Ilke Homes in June 2023 which left dozens of unfinished homes exposed to the weather.
Ilke Homes had been appointed to build 131 affordable homes by the housing association Jigsaw Group. However, 43 modular homes – some with no roof – were exposed to the elements for around 12 months and subsequently torn down, as a new contractor was found.
This was to ensure all homes were fully compliant with the requirements of the NHBC, the UK’s leading provider of new home warranty and insurance.
Morro Partnerships took over the construction of the site in June 2024 and Jigsaw Homes Group says the scheme is still on track to complete in 2026
So far, 42 homes have been handed over, and the remaining 89 properties will be handed over in stages between now and August 2026, where the “sales of the shared ownership properties are going well, with all homes in the first phases sold or on hold”.
Of the homes, 85 are affordable rent homes, allocated by Gedling Borough Council to meet housing need, and 46 in total will be made available through shared ownership in phases.
Garnet Fazackerley, operations director of Jigsaw Homes Group said: “Although we faced an incredibly challenging time following the collapse of Ilke Homes in 2023, we remained committed and confident that we could complete the scheme and provide much-needed affordable homes.
“We are on track to do this, with all homes being finished to a high standard and with NHBC warranty following stringent quality and compliance checks. Together with our development partners Morro, Homes England and Gedling Borough Council, we look forward to seeing the scheme completed next year.”
Borough Councillor, David Ellis (Lab), told the local democracy reporting service: “I was disappointed when [Ilke Homes] went under because we’d been to see them. The houses looked like everything you could want from a house.
“We know that housing is becoming expensive and lots of people are having problems getting on to the housing ladder. We know there’s a shortage of housing, people living in temporary housing, it’s important we get more affordable and social housing.”
Once completed, the scheme, which is part-funded by Homes England, will have 46 two-bedroom homes, 72 three-bedroom homes and 13 four-bedroom affordable rent homes, along with electric vehicle charging points and several with solar panels and air source heat pumps.
