The first residents have been welcomed to a new development of affordable bungalows in Prudhoe.

This marks the completion of £1.1m in investment into the regeneration of homes in the area.

Local housing association Karbon Homes has spearheaded the development of the bungalows, creating modern, accessible accommodation for older residents in partnership with contractor NB Clark.

'The Haven' replaces ten outdated one-bedroom bungalows that no longer met the needs of the local community.

The new two-bedroom properties, made available for affordable rent, were designed to align with the current and future needs of the town's ageing population.

The Karbon housing team were joined by MP for Hexham, Guy Opperman, Northumberland County Councillor for Prudhoe South Cllr Gordon Stewart, and other Prudhoe Town Council elected members, to welcome the residents to their new homes.

Guy Opperman MP, said: “It was fantastic to meet with residents who have recently moved into the newly developed Haven in Prudhoe. Over £1 million has been invested by Karbon to demolish and rebuild these quality homes. This has freed up other local homes for local people."

The development secured funding support from Homes England, the government's housing accelerator.

Vera and Laurence Bell are two of the residents to move into the new bungalows.

Laurence said: “This bungalow has been a God send. It’s been absolutely marvellous for us.

“We both have health conditions which affects our mobility, and the stairs in our two-bed house were becoming too hard to manage. We’d been waiting for a bungalow to become available in the area for a long time and were delighted when we were offered this. We’re really happy here.”

Cllr Gordon Stewart echoed Opperman's sentiments.

He said: “It was fantastic to meet residents who were clearly delighted with their new homes. Located close to the town centre which boasts a range of facilities, it is clear that there is already a great community spirit within the Haven.”

Director of Development and Regeneration at Karbon Homes, Sarah Robson, said: “The Haven is a great example of how we listen to the needs of local residents and where possible, act on the feedback we receive. It’s also been fantastic to have such strong support from local stakeholders throughout the development.”