Atherstone sees the 'hand of hod' signalling a restart for housebuilding in the area from Monday

HOUSEBUILDERS and construction companies around Atherstone and district have "plans afoot" to return to sites following a coronavirus shutdown.

Persimmon is to restart operations on its sites after the weekend as construction firms return to work in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Yorkshire firm said it will begin a "phased re-opening" of its sites from Monday to help complete new homes under construction.

It comes a day after rivals Vistry Group – which has a North Warwickshire base of Bovis Homes in Coleshill – and Taylor Wimpey announced their own plans to return to work.

Vistry Group, is also aiming for a Monday reopening while Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK's biggest housebuilders, said its building sites – one at Galley Common and another off the A5 at Higham Lane, Nuneaton, a couple of miles down the road from Mancetter –had pencilled in May 4 for back to work.

Persimmon chief executive officer David Jenkinson said: "The UK Government has been very clear on the importance of the construction sector to the economy and its desire to see activity continue through the current period of crisis, provided appropriate public health measures are adopted.

"Nothing is more important to us than the health, safety and wellbeing of the public, our colleagues, sub-contractors and suppliers.

"Having spent the last month developing and testing new site protocols that incorporate the necessary social distancing and protective measures, we believe that we are now able to return to site safely and support the UK's economic recovery from the pandemic."

The company said it has secured around 820 gross private sales reservations in the past five weeks.

The news should be encouraging for three 'construction' sites in Grendon – the proposed 56-homes Keir Living site is due to be completed this year.

Nub News revealed the new accommodation at Grendon Point in February – a mix of "affordable and market sale dwellings that achieve high-levels of long-term sustainability, meeting the needs and expectations of the local community" – is on the site of the former Sparrowdale School and Warwickshire County Council Recycling Centre on land off Spon Lane.

The 39 privately-built houses and the six apartments and 11 houses for rent and shared ownership are under construction now, and will make up 30 per cent affordable housing in line with North Warwickshire Borough Council's core strategy.

Pegasus Group secured full planning permission on behalf of Kier Living with prices expected to range from £226,000 to £340,000.

Kier has been up for sale since June when group chief executive Andrew Davies decided it should focus on contracting and since then north of England managing director Sue Warwick and up-for-sale residential business head Nick Moore have both resigned.

Across the Grendon Island, the Co-op is turning the old Boot Inn into a convenience store with indoor and outdoor customer seating while Costa is developing a drive-through coffee shop on the site of the Black Swan which has been pulled down. All three projects have been on hold during the coronavirus crisis.

The housebuilding industry had previously expressed fears that sites could stay closed until July.

Other builders will welcome the restart, said Chris Millington, an analyst at Numis, adding: "They want someone to be a bit ahead. The supply chain will not open up for one housebuilder."

"There are plans afoot for pretty much all of them [housebuilders] to be reopening," Mr Millington added. "I'd be surprised if we don't hear more in the next week."

UK Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said he welcomed the reopening of sites. "I hope to see further housebuilders reopen shortly – once they've also worked through how to meet social distancing guidelines and protect their workforce."

Nearby Ibstock Brick, the UK's largest brickmaker, has announced it is reopening its 21 works across the country on Monday.