Local school children name new development in Grove Hill

A group of talented pupils from Beech Grove Primary School in Middlesbrough have played a key role in naming Thirteen’s new housing development in Grove Hill.

The winning children with Thirteen and Esh colleagues outside their hoardings

3 Oct 2024

The community project provided year 5 children with the exciting opportunity to suggest a unique name for the development that will welcome new residents in 2025.

We worked in partnership with Dr Tosh Warwick from Heritage Unlocked to deliver history sessions to the pupils, giving them insight into the area’s past and inspire them to look to the future.

The chosen name “Hillside Gardens” reflects the welcoming atmosphere Thirteen envision for this new neighbourhood, as well as paying homage to Grove Hill’s historical roots. The children also provided colourful and creative artwork alongside their proposals which has been incorporated into designs that you can see on site.

The development will see 296 two, three and four-bedroom houses and bungalows built by Esh Construction to replace homes demolished more than a decade ago.

Catherine Steel-Brewster, deputy head teacher said: “Beech Grove primary has greatly benefitted from working with Thirteen and their partners through the many projects they have delivered.

“Our children are the heartbeat of our community. They are the future of Grove Hill and for them to be living and breathing history and geography through these projects has been fantastic.

“We want to welcome the new community that will join us in Grove Hill, and it’s been a great opportunity for the children to name the development.

Joy Whinnerah, director of development and partnerships visited the signage unveiling at the development and added: “It’s vital to us at Thirteen that the community is integral to everything we do and that includes our new development schemes.

“We’d like to think that some of the local children from Beech Grove primary might move in to some of these new homes, so it was really important they felt a sense of ownership and be involved.

“It’s been lovely to see the children so excited about their artwork and name go on the front of the development, and we hope they are really proud of what they have achieved.”