Work underway on Accord Group's first factory homes at Darlaston development

Accord Group has delivered the first of its pioneering eco-friendly timber homes that form part of a £10 million housing development in Walsall.

More than 100 new homes, including 90 low carbon timber houses, are being constructed in Darlaston by the Accord Group, which is made up of seven different housing organisations, as part of a new affordable housing development.

The Whitworth Close development is partly funded by the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which has awarded the scheme a £2 million grant.

The energy efficient homes, which will cost less to run than more traditional houses, are being manufactured under the name LoCaL Homes at Accord’s timber home factory in Beechdale.

Panels for the first eight new timber homes at Whitworth Close were delivered to the site where they will be assembled into three bedroom homes and the first properties are set to be completed by late spring.

Homes will be available for people to rent or to buy through shared ownership, where people can buy a percentage of the property and rent the remainder.

Alan Yates, group director of regeneration for the Accord Group, said: “It’s fantastic to see the first homes produced at the factory erected on site.

“Many of those who work at the hub live in or around the borough so these homes will truly be made by local people, for local people which is something that we are particularly proud of.

“And with around 350,000 people across the West Midlands on waiting lists for social housing, we hope that this development will go some way to create the much needed affordable homes that the region needs.”

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, added: “We’ve played a role in making this happen and it’s good to see new homes taking shape to offer families quality places to live in Walsall.

The Accord Group is the first housing association in the country to open its own factory to manufacture timber frame homes, with the facility set to produce around 200 environmentally friendly homes each year.