One Year On: Morro’s Leicestershire Development Builds ‘More Than Just Homes’
Partnerships, an affordable homes developer, has successfully blended community engagement and environmental sustainability at its £4 million Sapcote Road development in Hinckley.
The project, which began in April 2024, is set to deliver 25 units in May 2025 for emh group. These will be divided into 12 properties for shared ownership and 13 for affordable rent, ranging from one-bed maisonettes to two-bed terraced and semi-detached homes.
Over the past 12 months, however, the project has gone beyond traditional construction with the Morro team forging meaningful connections with current residents and neighbouring organisations.
Community Support Vital to Developments
Located near to Kids Planet nursery, the site team faced initial challenges regarding parking with site manager James Kilcullen spotting an opportunity for community collaboration.
After the nursery kindly agreed to share their parking, James invited the children to create a vibrant mural on the site’s hoardings, fostering a sense of ownership and connection.
James said: “We wanted to be more than just builders in the area; we wanted to be part of the community. Inviting the children to create the mural was a fantastic way to build positive relationships.”
From there, the community engagement thrived, with Morro repurposing surplus timber from the site and donating it to HMP Fosse Way prison through its partnership with Bakers Environmental Solutions.
Inmates then transformed the wood into 30 beautifully crafted birdfeeders and bird tables, which were donated back to the nursery’s playground and gifted to individual students.
Abdul Mozzamdar, head of social purpose at Morro Partnerships, said: “This initiative demonstrates our commitment to both sustainability and social value. By repurposing materials and supporting rehabilitation efforts, we’re creating positive outcomes for both the environment and the community.
“The project also highlights our commitment to building a better tomorrow – not just homes. We are dedicated to creating positive social impact alongside our construction projects.”
Next Generation of Housebuilders Could be Inspired by Outreach
As the project nears completion, the nursery children were also recently given a safe tour of the development site, providing them with a unique educational experience.
Homes are scheduled for handover in May, with Morro planning to donate additional birdboxes from the prison initiative to the nursery to mark the end of the project
Vicki Robinson, nursery manager at Kids Planet, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the support of Morro Partnerships over the past year. The children have loved being involved in the project, and the birdfeeders and bird tables are a wonderful addition to our garden”
Chris Jones, executive director for development at emh said: “It’s great to see how work has progressed at the Sapcote Road site, as well as the positive community impact from the Morro Partnerships team which some of our own team have been involved with. It is important that as well as providing quality homes, our developments help to support and have a positive impact on the local community. We are looking forward to welcoming residents to their new homes in the coming months.”
