CGA to build Preston's first Independent Living Scheme
We are pleased to announce we are building Preston’s first Independent Living Scheme. The scheme will consist of 60 fully wheelchair accessible one and two bedroomed apartments, all with private external space. The scheme will also contain a bistro, hairdressers, treatment/consultation rooms and activity rooms.
The facilities, along the communal gardens will be open to the general public to encourage engagement with the wider community and will provide a fantastic resource for neighbouring residents.
The scheme has been designed using the HAPPI (Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation) principles, which brings together design criteria such as good light, ventilation, space and storage, with additional elements aimed to deliver an attractive alternative to the family home for older people.
Each property will have the ability to adapt over time to meet changing needs. This scheme demonstrates our core value of tenant involvement, as the design of the scheme has had high levels of input from our residents, in particular the Sheltered Housing Action Group made up of CGA tenants working alongside staff.
Louise Mattinson, our Executive Director of Customers and Communities said,
“So much thought has gone into this scheme to produce the highest quality homes for its new residents. At every step of the way we’ve had resident involvement and both the research and ideas they have contributed to the design have been invaluable.”
The scheme will help satisfy the increasing need for high quality homes for those with care needs, providing an alternative to care homes and helping residents to live independently for longer. The new scheme, the first of its kind in Preston and one of very few in Lancashire, will be built on Dovedale Avenue in Ingol and aims to provide 24 hour care and assistance and will house people with a mix of care and support needs.
Chair of our Board and tenant Irene Bailey said,
“It was a unanimous decision from the Board to go ahead with this fantastic scheme. We’re confident it will create a positive impact on the local community as well as those with care needs.”
The cost of this exemplar scheme stands at £10.7m with £4.2m of funding granted from Homes England. Lancashire County Council has also demonstrated their support for the scheme and has pledged £540,000 towards the cost of the building. Work is scheduled to begin on site in March 2018 with a view of completion in 2020, contributing to our growth target of owning/managing 7000 properties by 2022.