Milestones for Milecastle

With around £33m spent on refurbishing homes, more than 50,000 repairs carried out, and 2,500 families re-housed, it's been an eventful decade since Milecastle Housing was formed.

To celebrate the organisation's 10th birthday, Milecastle staff have been looking back at their achievements, and found 10 milestones in the life of Milecastle.

Ten years ago, the former Tynedale Council transferred all its 3,500-strong housing stock to the newly formed Tynedale Housing, to allow new investment to be ploughed into the properties.

Since then, there has been huge progress and - now under the Milecastle banner - the not-for-profit company has become a leading member of Isos Housing Group.

Bill Tebay, managing director of Milecastle, said: "We took on a big task when this company was formed 10 years ago, with our housing stock in real need of investment, and a big backlog on repairs.

"I'm proud to say we have achieved some great results together, and that is testimony to the hard work of my staff, the support of our board members - and building a good relationship with our tenants."

Milecastle milestones:

* More than £33m invested in refurbishing over 2,600 of the company's homes.

* Nearly 51,000 individual repairs carried out - with completions per year up 50% over the decade.

* Around 2,500 households rehoused - an average of 250 per year.

* The company's first large scale development at The Chains in Corbridge completed in 2001, with 27 units of social housing as part of a multi-million pound housing estate by Northumberland Estates.

* The formation of the NEET development partnership in 2004, allowing Tynedale Housing to become a major developer in the North East.

* The opening of a new neighbourhood office at Haltwhistle in 2002, to better serve our residents in the town.

* Tynedale Housing re-branding to Milecastle Housing and becoming part of Isos Group in 2005.

* The company moving to its own, dedicated office base at Beaufront Park in Hexham in 2005, to provide a better service to its tenants.

* The Isos Property Services team, based at Milecastle, winning the northern region Gas Installer of the Year Award in September 2009.

* Our state of the art Extra Care scheme for older people, The Manors, welcoming its first residents in September 2009.