Green Ipswich Affordable Housing wins another award

A new community of sustainable affordable housing, built on the site of some derelict flats in Ipswich, has won the praise of four awards panels for its team of contractor ISG Jackson, architect Barefoot & Gilles and developer Orwell Housing Association, all based in the town.

This highly sustainable 36-unit Clump Field housing scheme in Ipswich has received a Suffolk Association of Architects Design Award to go with its earlier awards which include a Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) Silver Award, a Commendation in the Ipswich Society Awards 2010 and recognition as a scheme of 'Regional Significance' by the Civic Trust Awards 2011.

Thanks to the collaborative working partnership of several local businesses, the awards recognise a comprehensive range of achievements including design quality, construction safety and professionalism, good relations with the community, quality of townscape and significance as a civic space. Developer Orwell Housing Association is based in Ipswich, as are contractors ISG Jackson and architects Barefoot & Gilles.

Orwell Housing Association was selected by Ipswich Borough Council to re-develop the site, which has lain derelict for more than 15 years. The design of the new housing is intended to knit the community together by encouraging pedestrian movement between neighbourhoods across the site, and links a refurbished play area with bus routes and shopping streets.

The £3.6m development comprises a mix of house types to meet local needs including two, three, four and five bedroom houses, and a number of apartments. Constructed using sustainable timber frames and high performance building materials, the development is one of the first in the county to achieve an excellent Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4.

Wendy Evans-Hendrick, Director of Development and Property Services at Orwell Housing Association said that the scheme was an important regeneration project for the region. "This is a great achievement on the part of all the organisations that have been involved in making these homes a reality", Wendy commented. "We believe in delivering innovative affordable and comfortable homes and creating sustainable homes for the future."

Orwell Housing Association secured the project with feasibility support from their architects, Barefoot & Gilles. Director Roger Gilles said, "The development was a real team effort with client, contractor and architect working together to achieve an outstanding result. We believe that the innovative design of the scheme together with the high quality build will create a sense of community and pride of place."

Local construction company, ISG Jackson secured the tender to build the scheme. Michael Manning, director of ISG Jackson's Living division, commented: "The Clump Field development represents an excellent example of collaborative working between the client, council, consultants and contractor to deliver an important regeneration

project that raises the standards for the local built environment. The scheme has been designed to invoke a real sense of community and sustainability lies at the very heart of the development, minimising the overall environmental impact of the new homes, whilst helping to reduce running costs for residents. It's an extremely impressive result and ISG Jackson is delighted to have played an important role in bringing the aspirations of both Orwell Housing Association and Ipswich Borough Council to fruition."

The development was opened in May 2010 by Ben Gummer, the then newly elected MP for Ipswich.

View project information and photographs.

Information for Editors

Orwell Housing Association has been developing affordable housing in Suffolk and surrounding areas for over 40 years and has a long standing tradition of delivering high quality homes for local communities. Orwell has developed a reputation for high quality developments and has significant experience and expertise in delivering homes that make a real difference to local communities; this has been recognised by the Homes & Communities Agency, the Government Agency that funds Housing Associations, who have made Orwell a preferred partner for allocating funds for development.

Barefoot & Gilles Architects have been building affordable housing across the East of England for over 20 years and has extensive experience in the Code for Sustainable Homes. At any one time they can be involved with the development of around 60 sites, both large and small, and every user type from general needs housing to special needs housing, retirement housing, Lifetime homes and Sustainable Homes. The firm takes a proactive approach to the pre-funded stages of development, assisting in site evaluation and comparison, feasibility studies and competitive tenders. Combined with their excellent record in securing planning consent and quality drawing packages, their experience and professionalism make them the preferred choice for successful development projects in East Anglia.

ISG Jackson is a £100m plus turnover business based in Suffolk. The company handles a comprehensive range of projects across multiple industry sectors, including education, leisure, residential and public sector. Clients include, Suffolk County Council, Aviva Investors, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Orbit Group and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. ISG Jackson is part of ISG Plc, an international provider of construction, fit out and management services, with 31 offices worldwide. The company works with owners, developers and occupiers in the public and private sector for an extensive range of industries. ISG Plc was established in 1989 and has been quoted on AIM since 1998. Today the company has a turnover of around £1 billion.