Latest Press Releases

A deal has been agreed between Vistry Group, the UK’s leading provider of mixed tenure homes and registered housing provider, Beyond Housing, that will see 106 new sustainable and affordable homes built in Stockton. Of these, 75 homes will be made available for social rent and 31 for shared ownership. Vistry North East, which is part of Vistry Group, will construct the new homes to be owned and...

A Scottish based offsite manufacturing business - capable of delivering up to 2,000 timber frame structures per year - has made a key appointment, recruiting a Factory Operations Manager. Alan Little, 50 and from just outside Kintore, Aberdeenshire, replaces the recently retired factory manager, joining growing Kirkwood Timber Frame, as it extends its geographic reach and operations beyond...

The partnership behind the housing led regeneration of 10 sites across Gateshead, has launched a new construction skills academy. The new facility, located at the Gateshead Regeneration Partnership’s (GRP) Freight Village development, just off St James Road, will offer construction skills training courses and educational opportunities for hundreds of children, young people and unemployed...

Work has begun on the second of two new housing schemes, transforming the quality and choice of homes across Gateshead. A development of 49 family homes is to be built by Gateshead Regeneration Partnership (GRP), on the site of the former Hookergate School, at High Spen. All will be available for open market sale and the project is also supporting the development of new affordable housing...

Two local organisations supporting communities in the north and south east of Sheffield, have seen their services enhanced by a £60,000 donation. After providing £20,000 of funds in both 2022 and 2023 - which helped support projects with Manor and Castle Development Trust (MCDT) and SOAR Community - Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) has donated a further £20,000 this year, enabling the...

Amethyst Homes has been teeing off for charity, raising £500 for local hospice, Willow Burn. As part of the Dysart Group of Companies Annual Golf Day, 12 teams including teams from Dysart, Absolute Civil Engineering, Amethyst Homes took part in the 18-hole competition at Slaley Hall Golf Club in Northumberland. Overall victors on the day were DJMS Solicitors, but the true winners were Willow...

A high-profile prestige project in the centre of Sunderland, has reached another key milestone. Plans for the re-development of the former Sunderland Civic Centre building were revealed in March 2021, as part of the council's move to new premises on the former Vaux site, just north of the city centre, in November that year.Permission was granted to Vistry North East, part of the Vistry Group, to...

The structural timber industry holds a 22% market share of the UK housing sector, but England lags behind when compared with the 90% share it enjoys in Scotland. In recent weeks, Kirkwood Timber Frame’s sales team has been speaking with English customers, to try and understand the concerns that may exist towards timber frame south of the border. We hoped to uncover some of the beliefs held by...

Work in now underway on a development in Spennymoor, County Durham, which will see 187 mixed tenure homes created. Vistry North East - part of the Vistry Group - is delivering the project, comprising two, three and four bedroomed properties on an 18-acre site, just off Whitworth Road. And a deal has now been agreed, which will see one of the region’s largest not-for-profit housing associations -...

A North East housebuilder is strengthening its team by appointing a new buyer. Blane Carr, 44, from Blyth joins Amethyst Homes, which has increased its workforce from just three to 25 in the past decade. His new role includes materials purchasing and plant hire for Amethyst’s construction sites in Consett, Newcastle and south east Northumberland. Blane’s interest in construction began during a...

Vistry Group, the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed tenure homes, has been 'bedding in' to support a community food growing project. Vistry North East worked with a Community Interest Company, In Harmony Food Revolution (IHFR), on their Growing in Harmony project, in Kirkleatham. With support from its contractors, Tees Valley Exteriors and HMH Civils, Vistry provided materials and time...

Building more homes, more quickly than its regional rivals, Vistry North East is eying a record breaking year. Targeting 800 new properties across 15 sites, from Morpeth in the north to Guisborough in the south, the business is confident of passing £150 million turnover for the first time and continuing this growth trajectory into future years. Key to this success are partnerships with housing...

A Northeast developer is building its team to coincide with the launch of its latest development. David Carr, 37 and from Newcastle joins the team as a New Homes Sales Advisor at the developer’s Vallum Heights in Newcastle. Since his appointment he has secured five reservations at the recently launched site and with the show home now open, demand is expected to rise even further. He brings...

A youth football team saw its annual family fun weekend bolstered by a donation from a nearby housebuilder. Birtley Town Juniors FC received £500 from Linden Homes (part of the Vistry Group) – which is building new three and four bedroomed family homes, at The Cedars development in the town. Steve Minto, Chairman and Treasurer with Birtley Town Juniors, said: “We’d like to thank Linden Homes for...

Work is now complete on a park project aimed at reducing flood risk, whilst creating a habitat for both wildlife and Sheffield residents to enjoy. A series of celebration events are planned at Manor Fields Park over the summer, where the Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme (SuDS) – designed to ease pressure on Sheffield’s watercourse and sewer network – is located. The SuDS will reduce the flow of...

The first new properties at the former Sunderland Civic Centre site are nearing completion. The clearing of the old council buildings began in October last year - the first stage of a landmark project to transform the site into a vibrant city centre community of 265 homes. West Park Quarter, as it will be called, is being constructed by regeneration specialist Vistry North East, part of the...

Work is underway and a development partner has been appointed, on the third phase of a housing project that is creating over 650 Teesside homes. Construction and regeneration specialist, Vistry North East, part of the Vistry Group, secured planning permission for a latest phase of 204 properties at Kirkleatham, near Redcar, in October last year. Vistry North East, is already working on phases...

Work is underway on 73 new homes at a site known as Malthouses in Parson Cross, Sheffield, marking a significant moment for one of the key people delivering the initiative. Steve Birch is Development Director with Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) – the city council’s joint venture development company with private house builder Keepmoat and Great Places Housing – which is developing the site. Over...

A housing regeneration partnership which has already delivered over 1350 homes in the city, has appointed a second Development Manager. Alex Best, 42 and from Penistone, joins the team as it prepares to build 500 more homes in Sheffield over the next five years. With significant industry experience, having worked in the private and public sector on a wide range of projects - including housing,...

A County Durham Rugby Club is charging ahead with its centenary year celebrations, thanks to a sponsorship deal. Consett Rugby Club, which trained local talents including the Tait brothers – Matthew, who has 38 caps for England and Alex, Newcastle Falcons longest serving player – has received £2000 from Amethyst Homes. With the clubs’ stadium named after the Consett based developer, Amethyst has...

An intergenerational project in Newcastle, is helping develop a picture about the west end of the city. Pupils from St Michael’s Roman Catholic Primary School and residents from Your Homes Newcastle’s Tish Murtha House, have teamed up with Ella Murtha – the daughter of the late and well renowned North East photographer, Tish Mutha – to capture the spirt of Tish’s work. Organised by Amethyst...

Local volunteers and community groups assembled to help complete some of the planting at Manor Fields Park in Sheffield, which is set to benefit from a new wetland habitat. Delivered by Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) – a partnership between Keepmoat, Sheffield City Council and Great Places Housing Group – the Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme (SuDS) initiative at Manor Fields Park is designed...

Construction of 62 new affordable homes – including 20 for Gateshead’s Jewish community - is underway. The Gateshead Regeneration Partnership (GRP) is using finance created from the sale of around 50 houses to be built elsewhere in the borough to part fund the project in Hyde Park Street. The innovative initiative – which is also being supported by Homes England - unlocks the potential of the...

A partnership responsible for transforming Newcastle’s West End, is providing the opportunity for local developers and contractors to support an initiative, which is tackling the construction skills shortage. New Tyne West Development Company (NTWDC) – a partnership between Keepmoat, and Newcastle City Council - is hosting open days with The National Housebuilding Council (NHBC), at the NHBC...

It’s National Nest Box Week (14th – 21st February) and a North East regeneration specialist, which is delivering homes for people with specific housing needs, is also boosting local wildlife and biodiversity. As part of an ongoing drive to make ecological considerations in the design of its projects, Vistry North East is implementing various habitat enhancements at a development of apartments...

Work is underway to deliver Amethyst Homes second development in Newcastle city centre, following the success of its previous development located at Northbourne Street, for Home Group, five years ago. The joint development, in partnership with Bellway, will create 124 new homes, 45 built by Amethyst, comprising two, three and four bedroomed houses. The project has been facilitated by Tynexe, a...

A North East developer is marking a decade in business by targeting ambitious plans to deliver 200 homes per annum by 2025 and promoting its Development Director to Managing Director. With over 30 years in the industry, Richard Bass (54) and from (Whitley Bay), takes on the role at Consett based Amethyst Homes, having previous experience in similar regional roles for two other major...

An artist who has made Sheffield his home, has been part of a project aiming to introduce more art to enhance new housing developments in Sheffield’s neighbourhoods. Working with Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) and Sheffield City Council’s Public Art Officer and Design Conservation and Trees team, Simon Le Ruez – who has been living in Sheffield for the last 20 years – has created a sculptural...

A planning application for a new solar farm, on a former coal mining site in County Durham, has been approved by councillors. Bluefield Renewable Developments Ltd, a UK based renewable energy business, secured permission to create a 49.9 Megawatt (MW) solar farm at Bluestone Farm – to the north of Cockfield and south-east of the village of High Lands. Once operational, the project will generate...

A North East housebuilder is picking up the reigns, helping a local riding association to upgrade its facilities - so its service users can ride all year round. Blyth and Wansbeck Group Riding for the Disabled, based at Brocklane Farm Riding Stables at Bedlington, has benefitted from an £500 donation from Consett based Amethyst Homes, which is building new properties at Sleekburn, in south-east...

Plans for a third and final phase of homes on a former hospital site in Morpeth, have been given the green light. The plans will see a further 94 properties and an 84 bed Extra Care scheme developed at the King Edwards Park development, just off Dark Lane in the town – the site formerly home to the old Saint George’s Hospital. The circa £60M final phase - which will be delivered by construction...

Bluefield Renewable Developments Ltd, part of the Bluefield Group, has secured planning permission for its third large-scale solar farm in Northumberland - and the first in the county to include a co-located Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The 49.9MW Solar Farm and 60MW BESS is located in Bedlington, 2.5 miles from Burnt House Solar Farm - another 49.9MW Bluefield solar project, for which...

Plans have been approved for a new housing project in Stockton, which will eventually see 670 homes created. Earmarked for the development of housing in the council’s local plan since January 2019, Summerville Farm – a former co-op owned 73 acre site, just off Harrowgate Lane - will be transformed into a new community of mixed tenure homes, delivering housing quality and choice for local people....