Stephen Sorrell, Social Partnerships Director at Preferred Homes, and Councillor Paul Grafton, Chairman of Ashfield District Council in Gilbert House show apartment
Preferred Homes is bringing affordable homes to Hucknall with Gilbert House, a new scheme comprising 73 apartments aimed at over 55s with care needs.
Ahead of the launch, the developer and operator invited members of the Hucknall community to a show apartment preview on Wednesday 28 January. Joined by its partners, Pinnacle and Radis Community Care, the event marked Preferred Homes’ first opportunity to showcase the scheme to potential residents and provide a glimpse of what will be delivered at Gilbert House.
Over 150 health and social care professionals and members of the public attended the event at The Green Dragon Pub, where Preferred Homes and partners introduced how the scheme will help to meet the needs of older people in the community. Among those in attendance were local councillors including Councillor Paul Grafton, Chairman of Ashfield District Council.
During the event, attendees were invited to tour one of the newly opened show apartments at Gilbert House. Pinnacle, the housing management provider, and Radis, the care provider, also promoted employment opportunities at the development for the wider community.
Gilbert House will consist of 66 one-bedroom apartments and seven two-bedroom apartments available through affordable rent. Like other Preferred Homes developments, the scheme will achieve design principles set out by the Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) and will make use of smart home and assistive technologies.
Preferred Homes designs and operates its schemes with residents in mind, and Gilbert House’s amenities and facilities will provide older people with a high-quality affordable housing solution that supports long-term wellbeing. Alongside apartments, the development will feature communal space, landscaped gardens, and a bistro open to the public, supporting residents to maintain relationships within the community.
Residents at Gilbert House will be able to access 24/7 on-site care, provided by Radis. Preferred Homes’ developments accommodate for varying levels of care needs, allowing residents to retain their independence while preventing them from being moved prematurely to care homes.
People over 55 with care needs can find out more about Gilbert House on Preferred Homes’ website, alongside information on eligibility https://preferredhomes.co.uk/gilbert-house-hucknall-nottingham/
Stephen Sorrell, Social Partnership Director at Preferred Homes said:
“With the demand for both affordable housing and care continuing to rise, Gilbert House will ensure that members of the Hucknall community can have their needs met, while continuing to live independently and with dignity.
“As we prepare to launch Gilbert House this spring, it was a pleasure to invite potential residents, local health and social care stakeholders and interested members of the community in through our doors to learn more about the development.
“Since opening schemes in Leeds and Telford, we have heard testimonials from residents about how their lives have been transformed. We look forward to working with our partners, Radis and Pinnacle, to bring these life-changing services to residents of Hucknall.”
Preferred Homes develops affordable Extra Care Housing for older people who can’t access suitable homes from the private rental market. We are at a critical juncture for the provision of care and affordable housing in the UK. Millions of older, vulnerable people could be living in poverty in the coming decades, and Preferred Homes has the ambition, experience, and capital to be part of the solution.
Extra Care Housing allows independent living along with care support available on site, improving quality of life for our underserved older population and allowing for more effective and cost-efficient care provision by local authorities.
The public purse savings to local authorities and the NHS for a typical Preferred Homes development are around £800,000 per annum, equivalent to £20 million over a nominations period of 25 years.
Preferred Homes is a registered provider of social housing, with state-of-the-art developments and we retain ownership – meaning we have a long-term interest in ensuring the places we create are sustainable and well managed for residents.
With developments launched in Leeds and Telford and more in the pipeline, we’re looking to continue our investment in the sector, as we work towards delivering 50 schemes over the next four to seven years. Preferred Homes is backed by global investment manager Nuveen, and its parent, TIAA, social impact capital which is supporting the UK market through tackling the undersupply of affordable ECH. We are also part funded by Homes England grants.
For more information, please contact Tola Ajayi at preferredhomes@camargue.uk call on +44 (0) 207 636 7366