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HOUSING
CRONK GRIANNAGH, BRADDAN
Work is progressing well on completing the houses with plastering well underway and the external finishes virtually complete. Work has also started on the Department of Social Care bungalow on the site with the brickwork progressing
Cutting the First Sod Foundations
Foundations
Plastering in progress
Tim Crookall, M.H.K., Member for the Department of Local Government and the Environment with responsibility for Housing, today (27th August 2009) turned over the first sod on land at Cronk Grianagh, Braddan, provided by the Department of Health and Social Security for the building of new housing. The ceremony celebrated the commencement of work on site which will result in the creation of 16 no. First Time Buyer homes and a small residential unit for the D.H.S.S. in the form of a large bungalow.The development consists of 16 First Time Buyer houses (6 x 2-bedroom and 10 x 3-bedroom) and a residential bungalow for D.H.S.S. use. The Department will be sending out details of the scheme to potential purchasers on the First Time Buyer register.
ARCHALLAGAN, FOXDALE
The construction of the houses is progressing well with all of the houses being watertight and works proceeding internally
All blocks are now painted externally with Joiners working inside
Tim Crookall MHK, Member for the Department of Local Government and the Environment with responsibility for Housing, performs the traditional “ground breaking” ceremony on land adjacent to Archallagan Terrace, Foxdale, where one the latest Affordable Housing scheme on the Island is to be built. The ceremony celebrates the commencement of work on site earlier this month, and looks forward to the completion of housing, which will be sold to qualifying purchasers on the Department’s First Time Buyer Register.
Malcolm Blackburn of Parkinson Limited, part of the Sefton Group plc, stated that he was pleased the works had started following an intensive period completing the development proposals in a difficult economic climate for new housing developments . He believes it is of great credit to the Isle of Man Government and Barclays Bank that the development has come to fruition which, as well as providing affordable housing, will also provide much needed work for the Islands Construction Industry. He also stated that Parkinson Limited. enjoyed a good working relationship with the Department on housing schemes, and is currently involved as Main contractor on the redevelopment of Janet’s Corner in Castletown.
The development consists of 15 first time buyer houses (9 x2-bedroom and 6 x3-bedroom) and two first time buyer 2-bedroom bungalows. The bungalows are particularly aimed at providing an opportunity for first time buyers with any physical disability to own their own home independently, and this is the first time that the Department has targeted housing for this group of purchasers.
As with other first time buyer developments, the housing is designed and constructed to exceed minimum standards defined by the Department, and to be contained within a maximum selling price of £150,000 so that the provisions and assistance contained in the House Purchase Assistance Scheme can apply.
In this development, the sale prices are set at £150,000 for the bungalows, £145,000 for the 3 bedroom houses and £132,000 - £142,500 for the two bedroom houses. Purchasers are constrained from selling for 10 years except back to the Department at a value based upon the original purchase price. This allows the Department to re-sell properties into the first time buyer market, and enables purchasers to take the first steps on the property ladder. | 
