Developments

First residents move into College Gardens

17 January 2022

Essex Housing this week welcomed the first residents to College Gardens, Rocheway, Rochford a new development that has transformed this formerly redundant land into high-quality new homes for Essex residents.

College Gardens is the latest development by Essex Housing, Essex County Council’s in-house developer. The development is a collection of 14 architect-designed 3 and 4-bedroom executive family homes, located on the former site of the Adult Community Learning College at Rocheway, Rochford which closed in 2016.

Each home features contemporary living spaces finished to a high specification, including kitchens with integrated appliances, floor coverings and 10-year NHBC warranty as standard. Energy efficiency is also a key focus of the development, supporting Essex County Council’s ambition to achieve Net-Zero by 2050. Homes feature photovoltaic panels, designed to convert the sun’s energy into electricity, highly efficient thermal triple glazing to reduce heat loss and vehicle charging units, supporting residents to make the move to an electric vehicle.

It is hugely exciting to welcome the first residents to College Gardens. As well as delivering much-needed new homes, the development has created and will continue to create employment opportunities & support the growth of the Essex economy. I wish buyers well in their new homes and hope they enjoy all that College Gardens has to offer.

Cllr Lesley Wagland, Essex County Council cabinet member for Economic Renewal, Infrastructure and Planning.

College Gardens is the first phase of a larger project which will also include a 60-unit independent living scheme for older people. Essex Housing have been successful in securing significant grants for the site, including over £400,000 from the Land Release Fund for the demolition of the former College, whilst the Independent Living Scheme has also secured funding through the Getting Building Funding from MHCLG and SELEP for utilities infrastructure. Both of these grants have enabled Essex Housing to accelerate delivery of new homes at the site.