The challenge began for Urban Vision in late 2009, with the completion of a variety of feasibility studies on 16 Brownfield sites across the City. Urban Vision worked swiftly, reducing the initial list to the best 10 sites. Whilst working closely with our primary client, Salford City Council, Urban Vision assisted with the HCA’s bids to secure approved bidding partner and receive a total of £8.2 million in grant funding. The match funding by Salford City Council, firmed up an overall budget of £13.5 million.

The brief was to deliver 101 family sized homes, built to Lifetime Homes Standard, along with wheelchair accessible bungalows, all of them built to high environmental standards: meeting Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Other considerations to be factored into each of the 10 sites were local housing needs, housing mix, and ‘extra-curricular’ benefits such as employment, skills and the opportunities for boosting local enterprise.

Within 12 weeks, our experienced design team developed the planning drawings for these ten unique projects. Due to the tight pace set by the HCA’s deadlines, a three tier system was adopted for the issuing of design drawings, which allowed mobilisation before full designs were complete. This parallel process, whereby the site clearance, preparation, the laying of foundations and the erecting of the basic shells went alongside the fine detailing of the design process, was an important factor in making for speedy progress, but so too was the construction system Urban Vision adopted.

Modern methods of construction were applied to the scheme, which not only provided faster build time, but also enhanced the environmental performance of the buildings, thereby assisting in meeting the criteria for Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Project delivery created a mixture of contemporary and traditionally designed homes that minimised their environmental impact.

Many sustainable features were utilised in the housing design and included structurally insulated timber frame panels to minimise the build time and maximise air tightness and thermal insulation. In addition, solar water heating systems, whole house mechanical ventilation heat recovery systems and energy efficient lighting were also installed to achieve the required 44% improvement over building regulation, in order to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4.