A LONG wait for residents evacuated from their homes in Callington in 2018 is over.

Fifteen houses in Urban Terrace were demolished after concrete cancer was found to have been making them unsafe to live in.

Two residents in different properties had initially complained of persistent damp, and subsequent testing identified the presence of mundic block, a deterioration of the concrete caused by the decomposition of minerals sourced from mining waste.

Now, after a wait of six years, the new homes have been completed and the first residents have been able to move in.

One said: "It means everything to us to come home. I think it’s absolutely amazing. It's a beautiful house and well worth the wait.”

The newly built houses replace 10 council-owned and five privately-owned properties built in the 1950s.

Olly Monk, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for housing and planning said “The previous, defective properties have been replaced with good quality affordable houses and flats for social rent to local people. The people who lived in the original council-owned properties have been given first refusal on the new homes.

“Working with contractor Classic Builders, these new affordable homes for people with a local connection have renewable energy sources and high levels of insulation, so they are much more cost effective to run, and provide safe, secure and healthy places for residents.” 

Throughout the redevelopment period, Cornwall Housing says that it supported displaced residents to ensure they had alternative subsidised accommodation.

Ruth Ayre, Voids and Lettings Manager at Cornwall Housing said: “I had the lovely job of re-letting the new homes with our Area Housing Officer. This is the most rewarding part of my job - being able to hand over the keys. Especially to tenants who have been waiting to return to their homes. It’s wonderful to see the looks on their faces.”

The new scheme includes four one-bedroom flats, seven two bedroom houses and four three bedroom houses with gardens and parking. All the homes are highly insulated and heated with low carbon air source heat pumps.