A BUNGALOW development has been formally handed over.

Thirty homes at Berry Edge, on the site of the former Consett steelworks, have been built by Amethyst Homes for the Durham Aged Mineworkers Homes Association.

The homes are the first stage of a 60-property development is believed to be one of the biggest new build of bungalows in the country.

Staff from the Consett-based housebuilder completed the handover to Durham

County Council leader Cllr Simon Henig on Tuesday.

Commercial Director, Dave Robinson said: “Building bungalows has largely gone out of fashion in recent years as developers have been concentrating on building family homes.”

Cllr Henig added: “I am delighted to be here to help open this development.

“There’s a real need for housing of all types, particularly good quality bungalows.

“Damha has an excellent reputation in County Durham for providing housing for some of our older citizens and this looks a first class addition.”

The association, established more than 100 years ago, traditionally provided homes for mineworkers but now provides housing services for anyone over the age of 50.

Chief Executive Paul Mullis said: “Amethyst and Project Genesis came to us originally wanting to building bungalows and to asked for our advice.

“We worked together to refine designs and this project was born from that.

“These are some of the best homes we have built yet and this is our biggest concentration of new bungalows for 30 years.

“It’s fantastic to be part of the recent development of Consett and this increases the

diversity of the homes that are available.

“We now have 3,000 people in the over-65 age bracket on our current waiting list, which shows how much new housing stock is needed,” he said.

Over the next ten years Amethyst Homes plans to develop a 480-home development on the steelworks site.