Work starts on £13m Berwick resi

Bernicia, contracting with Advance Northumberland, will build 56 affordable homes, including bungalows, on the site of the former Seton Hall.

The five-acre site will feature a mix of two- and three-bedroom bungalows as well as two-, three- and four-bedroom rental and shared ownership properties aimed at meeting local need.

Northumberland County Council approved the project, on which Lichfields is advising as planner, in September last year.

The professional team also includes Coast, iTransport, All About Trees, Dendra, Apex Acoustics, and architect ID Partnership Northern.

Rents for the properties will all be at affordable levels and the proposed shared ownership properties will allow people to part buy and part rent their new home, with the option of buying bigger shares when they can afford to do so, said Bernicia.

John Johnston, Bernicia chief executive, said: “This is an exciting housing development for Berwick which we know, like many other parts of the country, has a shortage of social housing to meet strong local demand.

“Bernicia has a proven track record of building high quality new homes in North Northumberland, such as our development at Seahouses, as well as right across the North East.

“As a leading social housing provider, we will build a mix of high quality affordable rent and shared ownership properties in a newly landscaped area with great access to the town centre amenities – a housing development people will be proud to call home.”

Cllr Glen Sanderson, the council’s leader, said: “This development is an excellent example of a social housing provider working with us on design and funding to deliver new affordable homes for our residents.

“Each part of the county has differing housing needs and this new, quality affordable housing will reflect this with homes of varying sizes designed for families, the elderly and single people.”

Work is likely to take two years to complete, with homes ready to move into in spring 2026.

Robin Earl, group executive director at NCC regeneration vehicle Advance Northumberland, said: “We are very proud to be working with Bernicia to deliver this fantastic new development which will provide much needed new, high quality homes for Berwick.

“This project also complements Advance Northumberland’s work supporting Northumberland County Council’s regeneration and development projects in the area, not least the amazing new leisure centre.”

Bernicia is committed to investing £90m into building at least 600 new homes as part of its £210m four-year corporate strategy.

Seton Hall was demolished several years ago, having housed a care home in its later years.