Curo News

Curo celebrates fourth consecutive quality awards win

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:21:00 Z

Breaking ground at Keyford Meadows in 2023 - from left to right: Paul Fackrell Head of Construction, Jim Dowling Chair of Selwood Parish Council, Victor da Cunha Chief Executive Officer, Councillor Ros Wyke Former Leader of Mendip District Council, Lisa Howells Sales Marketing Customer Care Director, Tom Duggan Senior Site Manager

Tom Duggan, Senior Site Manager at Keyford Meadows in Frome, has won the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) Pride in the Job Quality Award.

The NHBC Pride in the Job Awards spotlight the crucial role of site managers like Tom in ensuring that his site upholds strict safety measures while homes are delivered on schedule and to the very highest quality standards.

This achievement marks our fourth win in the competition since 2021. When asked about his win, Tom is quick to explain that “It is great to be recognised, but it really was a team effort between my site team and the contractors – all of whom did an outstanding job.'"

Tom oversees development at Keyford Meadows, just outside of Frome. In total, the development will include 139 homes for sale on the open market, ranging from 1-bed apartments to 5-bed family houses. Another fifty-nine homes will be delivered as affordable housing, including 47 homes for social rent and 12 for Shared Ownership.

Alongside nearly 200 new homes, Keyford Meadows will provide more than two hectares of green spaces, equivalent to about three football fields, creating a significant natural area for residents to enjoy. The homes are also designed to be environmentally friendly, achieving a 10% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to current building regulations.

More than 20% of the completed homes at Keyford Meadows are now occupied. If you're interested in learning more about the development, look at Curo’s sales website here: https://www.curo-sales.co.uk/keyford-meadows/ or call the Sales Team on 0345 140 5050.

Curo announces new street names in Frome

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 12:19:57 Z

Curo, the West of England housing association and housebuilder, has announced the street names for their Keyford Meadows development of 198 homes in Frome.

The announcement comes shortly after the launch of Curo’s new show homes at Keyford Meadows in October this year.

Last year, Curo invited Frome residents to take part in naming the new streets which will be created as part of the development.

More than 50 suggestions were received, and a shortlist was submitted by Curo to Mendip District Council for consideration, with the final decision being made by the council.

Most of the ten new roads have been named based on suggestions submitted by the Frome Civic Society. The names celebrate the historic uses and ownership of the land now occupied by Keyford Meadows. From “Haymakers Mead”, “Mowers Mead”, and “Graziers Mead” to “Spring Paddock”, “Keyford Farm Close”, “Oakley Way”, “Mow Barton” and “The Four Acres”, the names reflect, and help to preserve, the agricultural heritage of the area.

A map of the new streets at Keyford Meadows, North of Sandy’s Hill Lane

Curo has also named one of the roads "Keyford Orchards", a tribute to the orchards formerly located in the Northern section of the development.

Finally, Louise Nutley, a Frome resident, suggested the name "Meadows Reach", a charming addition that evokes a sense of calm and peacefulness in the neighbourhood.

A map of the new streets at Keyford Meadows, South of Sandy’s Hill Lane

Victor da Cunha, Curo Chief Executive, says: "We are incredibly proud to introduce these road names, each deeply rooted in the unique character, community, and heritage of our site.

"Our heartfelt thanks go out to local resident Louise Nutley and the Frome Civic Society, who have been instrumental in this process. Their contributions have helped us to choose names that resonate with a sense of place and history."

Keyford Meadows is located on Little Keyford Lane and will provide 198 new homes - 30% of which will be designated as affordable housing. With the first homes ready for move-in by early 2024, Curo has recently opened their two new show homes on site, to give visitors a taste of life at Keyford Meadows.

Council leader commemorates start of work at new major residential development in Frome

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 12:21:06 Z

Pictured above from left to right: Paul Fackrell Head of Construction, Jim Dowling Chair of Selwood Parish Council, Victor da Cunha Chief Executive Officer, Councillor Ros Wyke Leader of Mendip District Council, Lisa Howells Sales Marketing Customer Care Director, Tom Duggan Senior Site Manager

Curo has officially begun works on a new residential development in Frome.

The site, aptly named Keyford Meadows, is located on Little Keyford Road and will provide 198 new homes - 30% of which will be designated as affordable housing.

In total, the development will include 139 homes for sale on the open market, ranging from 1-bed apartments to 5-bed family houses. 59 homes will be designated as affordable housing, with 47 for social rent and 12 for the part-buy/part-rent scheme, Shared Ownership.

A short ceremony was held to celebrate the occasion, with Selwood Parish Council Chairman Jim Dowling, and Mendip District Council Leader Cllr Ros Wyke in attendance.

Cllr Ros Wyke, Leader of Mendip District Council, said: "This new development at Keyford Meadows is an exciting step forward for the community of Frome. Not only will it provide much-needed housing, including a significant amount of affordable options, but it rightly focuses on environmental sustainability.

“I’m pleased work on this project is underway, and look forward to seeing the finished development in the near future."

Keyford Meadows prioritises open space and biodiversity. The development will also include more than 2 hectares of green open space as well as biodiversity enhancement features, such as bat and bird boxes.

With the first homes ready for move-in by summer 2023, these will also benefit from CO2 emissions 41% lower than current Building Regulations. Many of the homes will be equipped with highly efficient air source heat pumps and photovoltaic solar panels.

Victor da Cunha, CEO of Curo, said, "We are thrilled to be officially starting construction of our largest housing development project in Frome. As a long-term social business, we build communities, not just homes.”

“Keyford Meadows is a project we are immensely proud of. We listened carefully to community feedback and retained the existing farmhouse, blending it in the design which also provides extensive open space, maximises affordable housing and delivers great ‘green’ credentials. When we begin to welcome new residents onto the development later this year, we feel sure they too will feel the same level of pride we do", he continued.

For more information about the Keyford Meadows development, please visit https://www.curo-group.co.uk/house-building/schemes/keyford-meadows-frome/

Curo to build nearly 200 homes in Frome after Mendip District Council approves planning application

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 10:06:06 Z

West of England housing association and housebuilder Curo has been granted detailed planning permission by Mendip District Council to build 198 new homes on land at Sandys Hill Lane in Frome.

The decision was made at the Council’s Planning Board meeting on Wednesday 16 February and is subject to a revised landscaping plan being approved by Mendip District Council officers.

The development, which will be known as Keyford Meadows, will deliver 139 homes for sale, 47 homes for social rent and 12 homes for Shared Ownership, the affordable homeownership scheme. Homes will range from 1-bedroom apartments to 4-bedroom family houses, in response to the local demand for housing.

Over the past few months, Curo has worked with Mendip officers, local councillors and other stakeholders to refine their detailed proposals, first submitted in July 2021. A series of changes were made as a result of feedback from local community representatives and the Council and the revised proposals were put forward in November last year.

Curo’s plans will see the new homes’ CO2 emissions reduced by 41% compared to current Building Regulations, and by 10% compared to emerging standards. To achieve this, all of the homes equipped with gas boilers will also be fitted with photovoltaic solar panels which will provide greener electricity. Many of the new homes will feature highly efficient air source heat pumps instead of gas boilers, while the affordable homes will also have photovoltaic solar panels.

Curo Chief Executive, Victor da Cunha, says: “We’re pleased that Mendip District Council has approved our application for these much-needed new homes in Frome. We will continue to work with the planning officers to further refine our landscaping proposals for the development. We look forward to starting works on site soon to deliver homes that are beautiful, energy-efficient and sustainable, including the full 30% affordable homes requirement which will be managed by Curo.

“The development will give local people and families more opportunities to stay in an area they’re connected to through family, school and work. Our social homes will help many families on the Council’s housing list to live in high-quality, affordable homes while Shared Ownership will enable young first-time buyers to take a first step on the property ladder.”

Aside from homes, the development will also provide more than 2 hectares of wildlife habitat and green open space, including two play areas.

The Keyford Farmhouse and converted barn, which were previously earmarked for demolition through the outline planning permission, will be retained and incorporated in the new residential development, as desired by the local community.

Curo will start works on site at Keyford Meadows this summer, while housebuilding will begin in winter. The first new homes will be ready to move into by summer 2023, while the development is expected to be completed by autumn 2026.

All images: CGIs of Curo's new Keyford Meadows development at Sandys Hill Lane in Frome