Remagin on track at Riverside Sunderland
The steel framing operator expects to complete work on the first of four developments within the Vaux neighbourhood in September, having reached the highest point of construction.
Set within the wider 1,000-home Riverside masterplan, the Vaux project is to comprise 135 sustainability-led homes built using modern methods of construction.
This first building to top out is seven storeys tall. The structural frames, floor slabs, and external walls have been assembled by Remagin. The housing at Vaux is being delivered by Sunderland City Council and development-managed by igloo Regeneration.
Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, said: “Topping out on any scheme is significant, but it really is brilliant to see our first housing scheme on Riverside Sunderland progress.
“This – and the other new homes that we build in this part of the city – will bring more people into the heart of the city, spending money to support our retailers in the process, and of course, many of them will work in the offices that are currently under construction and those that already play host to a vibrant business community.”
Peter Connolly, chief executive of igloo Regeneration, said: “This is a fantastic milestone for Riverside Sunderland – a project which is a best practice example of how new homes across the country should be constructed and delivered in the future.
“Working closely with all of the partners involved to create these high-quality homes, I’m proud of our collective unwavering commitment to delivering a people and planet positive scheme that will transform this part of the city.”
The majority of the homes will be built to 2025 Future Homes Standard with 21 built to Passivhaus standard.
Included in the scheme will be a cluster of award-winning homes, that were selected as the best in the national Homes of 2030 Design Competition managed by RIBA for the government.
Working with Useful Projects, Expedition Engineers and Mawson Kerr, igloo’s +Home was the joint winner, along with Connector Housing designed by Openstudio with Hoare Lea, LDA Design and Gardiner & Theobald.
Formerly home to the eponymous brewery, the Vaux neighbourhood will be the site of the Expo Sunderland in 2025, an event that will showcase homes of the future. The first tranche of homes will be completed in early 2025.
Scott Bibby, country manager for Remagin – until June’s rebranding, known locally as EOS – said that the development “provides an excellent showcase for what future living could offer, and the role modern methods of construction have to play in that – providing high quality, comfortable accommodation at an affordable cost in a way which can address both the chronic housing shortage in the country, and wider environmental challenges”.
The Vaux housing is being delivered with £6.1m of grant support from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, and £2.1m from the Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities to support the delivery of the Homes of 2030.
