Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £23m contract to regenerate part of the 1960s-era Mardyke estate in Rainham, Essex.
Client Old Ford Housing Association is responsible for the £80m renewal of the estate, which has been renamed Orchard Village after the Tiptree Jam orchards which formerly stood in the area.
This is the second phase of the estate regeneration. Willmott Dixon is already building 121 units in phase one, and this next stage will see a further 178 homes constructed, which will be a mix of 1 and 2 bed flats and 3 bed maisonettes.
The whole project will see 516 homes replaced with 555 new homes, which will comprise 339 general needs, 64 shared ownership and 152 private sale properties. There will also be local shops and a new Primary Care Trust facility.
The entire renewal of the estate will take six years and will be completed by 2015. During that time, six tower blocks will be demolished plus 10 low rise blocks, replaced with lower rise, family-friendly accommodation.
A central energy centre with a combined heat and power plant will help reduce carbon emissions. A future phase will also see photo voltaic panels on the roof of a commercial block.
Willmott Dixon will also contribute £250,000 to the estate for community schemes which will remain after the project is completed. This has been split by agreement into four equal £62,500 pots of money, one for each phase. So far, this fund has paid for a new dance studio and it will also be used to provide new equipment for the local school on the estate and help provide play equipment for upgrading the local open space play area.
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