Over 1,700 Optima windows and doors from Profile 22 were installed in a £38 million tenure-blind new build housing development in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

Skipton Road is a new build development from Home Group built on former agricultural land in a beautiful part of Harrogate.

The scheme comprises of 214 apartments, detached, end terrace, linked detached, mid terrace and semi-detached homes with two to five bedrooms. Sixty percent of the homes are for private sale and forty percent for affordable housing, which is split across affordable rented and shared ownership properties.

A primary aim of the development was to create a tenure-blind community with no discernible difference between private homes and affordable homes. This would ensure that all parts of the site are equally attractive and would contribute to greater community cohesion.

The aim meant the project’s specification was critical, with every element needing to provide exceptional quality and good value. The windows and doors specified for the contract were Optima from Profile 22, the UK’s leading commercial window and door system, which had all the credentials required.

With the project needing over 1,700 casement and flush casement windows, residential doors, and French doors the choice of window and door contractor needed to have experience in such large-scale developments. It was awarded to Profile 22 Approved Contractor Kingfisher Windows, a leading manufacturer and supplier of windows, doors, and conservatories.

The project commenced in January 2020 and will complete in March 2022.

Optima from Profile 22 is a fully integrated 70mm window system available in sculptured and chamfered variations. The system comes with the widest range of ancillaries in the industry and the choice of colours which means the system can compete with aluminium alternatives. For this project, the windows had a textured Basalt foil on the external face to tie in with the development’s subdued material palette that reflects the surrounding communities. The internal face was white to provide an understated look that would complement any interior design.

The system meets all requirements for thermal efficiency as standard. Intelligent design features and double and triple glazing options means that thermal efficiency can be enhanced to meet a project’s specified standards up to and including 0.8 W/m2K or A++. Trickle vents were installed on all windows on this development to provide background ventilation and comply with Building Regulations.

Kingfisher Windows is an experienced commercial window contractor who is accustomed to working on large-scale new build developments. The company liaised closely with the main contractor and all the other trades on site to ensure fabrication and installation ran efficiently. As the project took place during the Covid-19 pandemic, the company also put in place additional health and safety measures to protect the health and wellbeing of all staff.

The project is due to complete in March 2022 and Sean Egan, Home Group director of development, commented: “This is a prime site in a very popular town where there is a high demand for housing. We intend to deliver high quality homes which will be sought after by those wanting to live in the area.”

Jonny Reynolds of Kingfisher Windows said: “We were delighted to work on such a prestigious housing development with United Living and Home Group. The strength and quality of Optima products including the flush casement windows have delivered exceptional high-quality aesthetics and superb product performance that a project of this nature demanded. The attractive development will help to provide much-needed housing in the local area.”