A 16-year-old boy has started building his own house.

Connor Hill, from Widnes, has laid the first bricks at a property he designed with Halton Housing Trust to make life easier for him and his brother – who both have a rare muscle wasting disease.

 “I never thought I’d get to build my own home,” said Connor, who relies upon a wheelchair to get around.

“The Trust came and talked to the family and listened to what we needed to help with our condition. We worked together to design a purpose-built home that is exactly what me and my brother need.

“The fact that I now get to help start the building work really makes it feel like this is my very own house.”

Connor and his brother Luke, five, both have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  They have worked with architects to create their own purpose-built house at Halton Housing Trust’s new development at Clarke Gardens in Widnes.

The house will be completely wheelchair accessible, with a specially adapted bathroom and ceiling hoists. The children will be able to open doors via remote control and there is undercover off-road parking for the family’s Motability vehicle.

The brothers, who currently live at Lancaster Road in Widnes, will be moving to their new home with their parents Donna and Mike Hill, and their two-year-old brother Adam.

Luke helped the Trust start the building work at the site by cutting the first sod of earth in January. 

Now Connor has started work on the family home during a ceremony at the site earlier today.  He was presented with a commemorative plaque and the Trust will be fitting a permanent record of the event when the homes have been built. 

Connor’s dad Mike said: “It’s going to make a big difference to the boys, especially Connor.

“He needs much more space than we have in the current home. He can’t get up stairs and we’re always struggling for space for things like spare wheelchairs and medication.

“Halton Housing Trust has been great in helping us create a home that will make life much happier for our children.”

Nick Atkin, Chief Executive of Halton Housing Trust, said: “Working with the Hill family has been an inspiration.

“Mike, Donna and the children have been great to work with and we have tried to create a home that will have a massive impact on their lives.

“The Trust is always looking at ways that we can improve the lives of our customers and this is a fantastic example of us going the extra mile to do exactly this.”

Connor and Luke’s home will be part of a £2.3 million development at Clarke Gardens which will help bring more affordable homes to Widnes.

The Trust is building 12 two-bedroom apartments and six bungalows on the former brownfield site, which was once home to an unpopular sheltered housing scheme.

Halton MP Derek Twigg said: “I am delighted to have attended the event having made a number of representations to Halton Housing Trust in support of the family. It is great to know that Connor and Luke will have a home that meets their needs.

“Mike and Donna have put in so much effort to secure the best possible housing solution for their children. Well done also to Halton Housing Trust.”

Plus Dane Group is helping manage the project for the Trust.

Bramall Construction has been chosen to carry out the construction work, which is expected to take around nine months.

The company’s Construction Director Steve Parrington said: “We are delighted to be working with Halton Housing Trust to play a part in helping to create this exciting new home for Connor and Luke. It is always a privilege for us at Bramall Construction to work on projects which have a direct and positive impact on the lives of others.”