Work to restart on half-finished Hereford housing estate

Work on a half-finished housing estate is set to restart in the new year.

The construction of a 120-home development off College Road, Hereford, halted earlier this year after the contractor went into administration.

Developer Stonewater has been looking for a replacement ever since.

A Stonewater spokesperson confirmed that the procurement process was nearly complete and a contract would be awarded soon.

"Stonewater is aiming to recommence work on site in January 2024," they added.

Building firm Ilke Homes of North Yorkshire had originally been tasked by Stonewater to deliver the 120 pre-fab homes at the site, formerly the Holmer Trading Estate.

But the modular homes supplier went into administration in June with debts of nearly £320m.

The planned estate includes 68 affordable rental homes, six one-bedroom flats and 46 shared-ownership houses.

A planning application for a new piece of public art at the development has also been submitted to Herefordshire Council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

If approved, it would feature an "abstraction" of designs produced at the Victoria Tile Works, which occupied the site for 100 years until its demolition in 1980.

Coloured tiles would clad a curved wall enclosing a bench for public seating and planting.

The application is open to public comments until 20 December.

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