We’re pleased to announce that work to extensively refurbish and remodel the former Mountbatten House on the Southbrook estate in Daventry is almost complete.
Ocean House – renamed in response to a local community vote – is now home to 21 one and two-bedroom flats to support couples, families and single people. The first new residents will start moving in from the middle of November.
Thanks to major investment in the building’s sustainability, it now achieves the highest Energy Performance Certificate rating of A, making the homes more comfortable and cheaper to heat. Each flat benefits from high heat retention storage heaters throughout and solar panels on the roof. The storage heaters are better insulated than standard models, saving more heat for when needed, and the solar panel system will prioritise using ‘free’ electricity to cut electricity bills for residents.
Sarah Wyke, Director of Housing at Futures said: “Mountbatten House didn’t really meet the needs of the local community and sadly there was a history of crime and antisocial behaviour so a big change was needed. That’s why we decided to completely reconfigure and refurbish, including improved security and lighting, to make it more suitable for couples and small families who we think will help to build a stronger local community.
“The work has taken longer than expected thanks to the pandemic and some issues with the building that we uncovered along the way. More importantly though, we decided to go ‘all out’ and invest in multiple upgrades to make this a bigger and better asset for the community and those who live there for years to come. A big part of this has been greatly improving its energy performance so it will not only help the people who will live there, but the planet too.”
