Council flats completed opposite Tesco in Keynsham

TEN new council homes in Keynsham town centre have been completed, ready for residents to move in.

The flats have been constructed in Danes Lane, opposite the Tesco car park.

Before the properties were built, archaeologists excavating the site discovered relics dating as far back as medieval times, including old boundary walls, cess pits, pottery and coins.

The development, named Great Barn Court, has been created for Bath & North East Somerset Council’s B&NES Homes programme by Aequus Construction Limited (ACL), the council-owned development company.

B&NES Council says the properties will provide much-needed social rented housing at a time of intense pressure on local housing.

Built on council-owned land that was previously used for informal parking behind the Old Bank pub in the High Street, the development formerly known as Danes Court provides six one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments in two separate blocks.

The council says high-performance insulation, solar photovoltaic panels and an all-electric heating system will make the homes more energy efficient and cheaper to heat.

The completion of Great Barn Court is viewed as another milestone for the B&NES Homes programme, which is transforming surplus council sites into new council housing to deliver affordable homes across the district.

Other developments are progressing at Bath Western Riverside, Bath Quays North, Bath Quays South and several smaller sites across the district.

Councillor Matt McCabe, cabinet member for built environment, housing and sustainable development, said: “Every new affordable home we deliver makes a real difference to people and families who need somewhere secure, high-quality and affordable to live. These are modern, energy-efficient homes that will be cheaper to heat, helping residents with the cost of living while reducing carbon emissions.”

The housing will be owned directly by B&NES Council and let through Homesearch. Three of the apartments were set aside for young people who have lived in care.

One B&NES resident who has been rehoused through Homesearch said: “I’ve been sofa surfing for ages and it’s been really hard. I tried a shared place, but it didn’t work out. I’ve just passed my apprenticeship and I’m getting my own flat and it’s amazing. It’s the final piece of the jigsaw.”