Flats for vulnerable residents in Iceni Way, Colchester

Elfreda House, off Iceni Way, Shrub End, has been demolished and a replacement building containing 36 self-contained one and two bedroom flats is being built in its wake.

The building, which was 55 years old, previously comprised of studio flats with shared bathroom facilities.

But each apartment in Colchester Borough Homes’ new scheme will have self-contained bathrooms, a kitchen and living room

The apartments, will also possess their own outside space, either in the form of a balcony or a courtyard for those on the ground floor, while the redevelopment includes shared communal spaces where residents can socialise.

It will be accessible for all residents with lifts to the upper floors of the three-storey building.

Plans - the Elfreda House redevelopment is on track to open in May 2023

Chairman of Colchester Borough Homes, Philip Sullivan says the project comes amid a “huge housing need” in Colchester.

He said: “We’ve made a really good start, and it’s due to be ready for residents to move into in May 2023.

“The old building has been demolished and we’ve got work taking place on the foundations, so most the work completed is pretty much hidden underground, but in the coming months people will see it coming up.

“We are on track in terms of the programme and you will see over the coming months the quality of the materials we are using and what’s coming out of the ground.

“At this stage, the progress is good and the project management at Colchester Borough Homes are very much expecting it to be delivered on time, and to budget.

“We believe this project will breathe life into that part of the estate.”

The project forms part of the council’s aim to deliver 350 affordable homes by 2024.

In 2018, the authority purchased 16 homes to be used as temporary accommodation to house the homeless.

In 2019, it bought 35 homes as part of a £22-million project to provide 100 council homes for the borough’s homeless by the end of this month.