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New bungalows in Hartlepool leave couple feeling ‘over the moon’

After years of being on the waiting list for a bungalow, a Hartlepool couple are delighted to have finally moved into their dream home.

Christine and David McKenzie were over the moon to be offered a two-bed bungalow on our £6million development of affordable homes in the village of Greatham and, after a few months of settling in, the couple couldn’t be happier with their new home.  

Christine said: “The bungalow is beautiful, we’re really happy here. It’s so spacious and I can’t wait for the summer to come so we can enjoy our gorgeous garden.  

“It’s a lovely community too, both on the development and in the village. I was a little worried about making the move out of town to somewhere new, but everyone has been so welcoming and we’ve slotted right in.” 

With nerve damage in her leg often leaving her struggling to walk, Christine was finding it more and more difficult to manage the stairs of their previous house. Alongside David’s ongoing health issues, the couple desperately needed to downsize to a home more suitable for them. 

“I was starting to really struggle with managing the house,” said Christine. “I’d registered us on the choice-based lettings system years ago but was having no luck when it came to finding a bungalow. We were getting quite desperate.  

“When I spotted these from Karbon Homes I was so excited, but I didn’t have much hope we’d be successful. But just a matter of days later they called with an offer and I was absolutely over the moon.” 

Christine and David’s new home is one of seven bungalows on the development, available for Affordable Rent. 

The bungalows are surrounded by a mix of two, three and four bed houses available through Rent to Buy, giving occupants the chance to pay 80% of the local market rent for their homes, with an option to buy after five years. 

Zoey Hawthorne, Assistant Director of Development Delivery for Karbon Homes, said: “It’s great to hear such positive feedback and that these homes are making a real difference to the local community.  

“Stories like Christine and David’s really embed why investing in new, affordable homes, that meet the needs of local people is so important. For us we also want to create strong, sustainable communities, in which our residents can thrive, and this development is a great example of this in action.” 

The development, which was supported with £2m funding from Homes England, has been constructed using Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF), a modern method of construction delivering highly insulated and energy efficient homes. 

Zoey added: “At a time when rising energy prices are pushing more households into fuel poverty, it’s more important than ever for housing providers to be exploring these alternative construction methods, which have the potential to help customers save on their bills.” 

Christine added: “We’re really happy and I can see us being here now for good.”

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