Pictured above: CGI of Ingestre Square

An energetic new housing programme has been launched in North Staffordshire to provide homes and badly-needed community facilities for hundreds of residents.

Aspire Housing is leading a major drive to provide decent affordable housing, with partnership projects underway that will see the completion of around 200 new properties - the largest development programme of any housing association in North Staffordshire.

A £1 million community centre - being developed on behalf of Stoke-on-Trent City Council - also figures in one of the projects at Ingestre Square, Blurton.

A partnership with Kier is undertaking an 18-month demolish-and-rebuild scheme which will see the erection of 41 new homes, revitalising a regeneration area of the city, and including the provision of a number of shop units.

The community centre will provide a meeting place for residents, as well as a new library, offices for the local residents' association, and other neighbourhood services, said Will Nixon, Director of Regeneration for the Aspire Group.

Aspire Housing is also partnering with Barratt David Wilson Homes in the construction of 75 properties at Heritage Park, the former Silverdale Colliery site. A country park will also eventually flourish under the proposals.

At the former Collins & Aikman site at Knutton, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, another 72 properties are being built next to the award-winning Mill Rise development of older people's housing and a health centre.

Pictured above: Will Nixon

Both developments include a mixture of rented and part ownership homes, and have attracted funding from the Homes and Communities Agency, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Aspire Housing.

"Aspire Housing is developing more new homes in North Staffordshire than any other housing organisation," said Will Nixon.

"When house building in the private sector has slowed dramatically, this is a major achievement for Aspire Housing and an example of our commitment to community development."

As well as easing the housing problems of several hundred residents, the various development schemes will provide much-needed job opportunities for young local people.

"Part of this development drive is a further commitment to providing real life chances for people," Mr Nixon added.

"Apprentices from PM Training, our social enterprise arm that tackles worklessness among young people, will help deliver construction."

The Aspire Group provides more than 20,000 customers with quality affordable homes and services across North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

Committed to improving homes and neighbourhoods, and transforming the life chances of local people, it consists of Aspire Housing, PM Training and a soon-to-be-launched charity.