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2009
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April 2009
> Mayor of Manchester Officially Opens First Specially Designed Bungalows at Grove Village
On Monday 27 April, the Worshipful the Mayor of Manchester, Cllr Mavis Smitheman officially unveiled nine brand-new, purpose built bungalows at Grove Village, (previously known as Plymouth Grove), the £100 million housing PFI scheme that has radically transformed an area of Ardwick, Manchester into a thriving urban village.
The bungalows are the first of their kind in the area and have been specifically built to accommodate people with mobility or medical needs.
The nine two-bedroom bungalows, that cost a total of £1.9 million to build, have environmental features such as solar thermal heating systems that will help reduce residents’ gas bills and are situated in close proximity to the Village’s local shops and conveniences, to enable easy access for the residents who have a range of physical needs.
Representatives from Manchester & District Housing Association, a member of Harvest Housing Group, Grove Village Neighbourhood representatives and residents of the new bungalows attended the official unveiling ceremony. Brian Edgar and Peter McGrath from Rymac Construction, who built the new homes, were also present at the event.
After expressing his thanks to Cllr Smitheman for her attendance at the event, Chair of Grove Village and Chief Executive of Harvest Housing Group, Ian Perry, said:
“To date we have not seen the construction of bungalows in the neighbourhood so this is a very important occasion for all involved in Grove Village, particularly due the individual design of the homes, that are intended to enhance the lives of their new residents. I would like to thank all involved in the construction of the bungalows, in particular Rymac Construction who have worked hard to complete the development for today’s event”.
Brian Edgar, from Rymac Construction commented:
“This is the first time we have undertaken work in Manchester and we are delighted to have been able to employ local sub contractors on the development. We have enjoyed a very positive working relationship with all at Grove Village”.
One of the bungalows’ new residents, Mr Wilkinson, attended the special event and speaking about his new home said:
“The offer of this accommodation has overwhelmed me and my wife Beverley. We feel our lifestyle is moving forward in a positive way and are really looking forward to moving into our new home. The move will assist me greatly as I now suffer from COPD (diseased lungs), breathlessness and many other illnesses. The move to a bungalow will also benefit us greatly as we will be near to the local amenities”.
Speaking of the changes to area since the development of Grove Village, Mr Wilkinson added:
“Prior to the refurbishment of the area, we felt very insecure and frightened and felt we were constantly looking over our shoulders. Now that the works have been done and the alleyways have been taken out we feel a lot more secure”.