Affordable extra care housing provider Preferred Homes is scaling up its development pipeline across the south of England, advancing four schemes as it targets rapid national expansion.
The developer and operator has made progress across sites in Crawley, Exeter, Bicester and Camborne, combining new acquisitions with planning submissions and consents, as it seeks to grow its portfolio of care-led housing.
The latest activity takes Preferred Homes’ pipeline to more than a dozen locations nationwide, with further schemes in planning and construction, as the business looks to deliver up to 50 developments over the next seven years. The group focuses on delivering affordable rented homes with integrated care and support services for older people and those with additional needs, positioning itself within a growing segment of the living sector driven by demographic change and pressure on local authority provision.
In Crawley, Preferred Homes has acquired the former St Catherine’s Hospice site and submitted plans for an 83-apartment scheme. The development will mark a shift in the company’s model, catering for residents of all ages with care needs rather than solely older occupants.
The scheme is being brough forward in partnership with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council, with homes to be allocated through nominations agreement with the local adult social care authority.
In Exeter, the provider has exchanged contracts to acquire a former leisure centre site from Exeter City Council, with plans underway for a 71-apartment extra care scheme. (pictured) The development is expected to address a recognises shortfall in supported housing provision in the city.
Further along the pipeline, Preferred Homes has secured planning approval for an 82-apartment development in Bicester, where construction is expected to begin in the coming months. The site forms part of the wider Kingsmere regeneration area, which is delivering new homes, schools and community infrastructure.
Meanwhile, in Camborne, Cornwall, the company has also secured planning permission for a 74-apartment scheme on the site of former council offices and a car park. The project will mark Preferred Homes’ first development in the South West, with Cornwall Council expected to enter into a 25-year nominations agreement.
The expansion comes amid increasing demand for extra care housing, as local authorities seek alternatives to traditional residential care and hospital-based provision. Preferred Homes’ model combines self-contained apartments with on-site care services and communal amenities including cafes, gardens and shared spaces, allowing residents to maintain independence while accessing support. Schemes re typically located in well-connected urban areas, designed to enable residents to remain integrated within their local communities and close to family networks.
The company said all developments follow the design principles of the Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation, reflecting broader shift toward higher-quality more flexible housing for older vulnerable residents.
Preferred Homes is working closely with local authorities to bring forward its pipeline, with nominations agreements forming a central part of its delivery model. These arrangements allow councils to allocate homes to residents with identified care needs, while providing long-term income certainty for the operator.
Findlay MacAlpine, chief executive of Preferred Homes, said the business was responding to a growing gap of provision.
“With a number of our developments progressing across the country, Preferred Homes is quickly becoming a leading provider of affordable extra care housing” he said. “Our developments are meeting a critical need for suitable housing and effective care for our ageing population”.
“its great to see local authorities recognising this and a wider awareness building around the importance of affordable extra care housing for rent.”
He added that partnerships with councils would be key to scaling delivery.
“Our close partnerships ensure we’re not just filling gaps but delivering homes that meet the needs of local communities – which will be critical as we continue to scale our portfolio.”
Preferred Homes currently operates schemes in Leeds and Telford, with a third development in Hucknall, Nottingham, due to open later this year.