Regeneration in Brandon

A former pub site in the heart of Brandon is being regenerated with 12 new homes. 

Oaktree Living is building three two-bed and nine three-bed houses on land previously occupied by The Red Oak pub, also known as The Mill.  

The site, to the north of Lowland Road, is being developed on behalf of believe housing and will be named Mill Close. 

All the homes will be available for affordable rent or Rent to Buy once construction is completed, around October 2023. 

Each property will have air-source heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage units which will allow customers to store electricity for later use, and infrastructure to enable electrical vehicle charging, as well as individual driveways and gardens. 

The scheme will include landscaping and the creation of wildlife habitat, and a £33,108 contribution will also be given to Durham County Council towards local secondary education provision under a section 106 planning agreement. 

Kate Abson, Director of Development at believe housing, said: “Not only will this scheme revitalise a brownfield site in the heart of the community, which has become a bit of an eyesore since the pub’s demolition, it will also deliver some of the high-quality affordable homes this area needs. 

“Mill Close is one of our first developments that will be completely off-gas and that will benefit from an enhanced construction specification.  

“This is a significant move as we want to deliver new homes that are fit for the future and extremely energy efficient, reducing their environmental impact and making them even more affordable for our customers to heat.” 

Alongside this development, believe housing continues to work with the community to develop a wider regeneration masterplan for central Brandon, near Durham. 

This will improve the mix and quality of housing available in the area through the construction of new homes as well as investment in believe housing’s existing properties, creating opportunities for residents and enhancing the overall appearance of the area.