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.

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

198 new homes proposed for land at Sandys Hill Lane in Frome

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 15:25:28 Z

Details of a residential development planned for Frome have been revealed by West of England housing association and house-builder Curo.

The site, which received outline planning permission from Mendip District Council in March 2021 for up to 235 homes and a number of commercial units, is situated along either side of Sandys Hill Lane, near the town's Sainsbury's supermarket.

Curo are looking to develop the residential site and have now submitted a detailed planning application for 198 new homes, including 59 affordable homes of which 47 will be provided at social rent. This represents the full 30% affordable housing planning requirement.

Responding to the local demand for housing, the scheme will deliver a wide range of homes, from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom family houses.

Proposals for the commercial site will be put forward by a different developer under a separate planning application.

Aside from a lower-density development with fewer homes, Curo have made a series of changes to the scheme approved at outline stage, in response to feedback from local stakeholders and community. This includes retaining the Keyford Farmhouse and converted barn, which were previously earmarked for demolition through the outline planning consent.

Curo Chief Executive, Victor da Cunha, says: “We listened to the community, who wanted us to keep the farmhouse and we designed a scheme that protects these buildings for the future.

“We worked with Mendip District Council officers through the pre-application process to refine our proposals and we believe the current plans could deliver much-needed homes in an attractive new neighbourhood that’s respectful of the local character.

“We’re hoping these homes will help more local people and families who feel they’ve been priced out of the housing market in Frome to stay in or return to the town they love. Our homes for social rent will give many families on the Council’s housing list the opportunity to live in a high-quality, affordable home while the Shared Ownership scheme will help young first-time buyers to make that all-important but difficult first step on the property ladder.”

Large areas of wildlife habitat and open space, including two play areas, are also being proposed.

Details of the reserved matters proposals can be viewed on Mendip District Council’s website. Subject to planning permission, works on site could start next year with the whole development anticipated to be completed by 2027.