Banks Homes, the new dedicated regional housebuilding company set up by the Banks Group earlier this year, has chosen Gateshead-based Aston Walker Developments to lead on the creation of nine new detached luxury homes in the heart of the prestigious Mount Oswald site in Durham City.
The Symeon Court development will include four four-bedroom and four five-bedroom houses as well as a super-luxury six-bedroom property, and will be accessed directly from South Road via the gate houses at the entrance to the Mount Oswald estate, which will also be rebuilt as part of the project.
Each of the properties will have its own extensive private garden and will be set in the landscaped grounds and woodlands at the centre of the wider Mount Oswald development.
Aston Walker Developments will deliver the project, with the support of Newcastle-headquartered IDP Architects LLP and Gateshead-based engineering consultancy Shadbolt Group.
Durham City property firm Urban BASE is already working as sales agent for the new homes.
Over 100 people will be engaged to work on the site during its development, with the first of the new properties expected to be ready for occupation by next summer.
Founded in 2018, Aston Walker’s highly experienced team specialises in the residential property sector and has acted as lead contractor on several high-quality housing developments around the region.
Nathan Walker, director at Aston Walker, says: “Mount Oswald is a real landmark location and offers the opportunity to create something truly special.
“We look forward to employing local companies which will support numerous employment opportunities within the community.
Investing in the skills and expertise of suppliers based around our region has always been a priority for Banks.
Banks shares many of the values that we work to ourselves and it’s exciting for us to be chosen by them to lead on a project that will set the standards for executive housing in our region.”
Symeon Court will be the first project to be delivered by Banks Homes, which is focusing on sites of all sizes across North East England and Yorkshire, and which is also currently progressing a large-scale residential development at West Rainton in County Durham.
The Banks Group has been progressing its comprehensive development proposals for Mount Oswald since they were first approved by Durham County Council more than a decade ago.
It was designed by Banks in support of the County Council’s vision of Durham City acting as a driver of economic growth in the county, and now includes around 290 completed properties that have been built by David Wilson Homes and Bellway Homes.
Further information on other developing aspects of the site, including plans for a convenience store and coffee shop, are set to be revealed in the coming months.
Russ Hall, managing director at Banks Homes, says: “This part of the Mount Oswald site offers us the opportunity to create some outstanding executive homes in an unrivalled location, and Aston Walker is the ideal partner to lead on their delivery.
“Investing in the skills and expertise of suppliers based around our region has always been a priority for Banks and we’re very pleased with the high-quality team of North East firms that’s been assembled to help realise our plans for this unique development.
“Mount Oswald is continuing to evolve into the outstanding, high quality, low density, accessible new neighbourhood that we described at the very beginning of the project, and as a long-established Durham-based family business, we are proud to have been able to deliver on this vision.”