More Good News for Dunstable residents.

Work completed at housing development for adults with learning disabilities

A group of adults with learning disabilities have received an early Christmas present with the news that they can move into their new purpose-built homes in the new year.

The £2.43million development in Dunstable was commissioned by Central Bedfordshire Council and marks the final stage of the local authority’s programme to move tenants out of outdated care homes into flats and houses where they can live independently with support.

The two-storey development has been built on the site of a former care home, and provides eight bedsits, two one-bedroom flats and four two-bedroom flats and a large communal space and landscaped garden.

Central Bedfordshire has provided £2.43million of Department of Health capital grant to cover all development costs.

Councillor Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “One of the council’s key priorities is to ensure that people can live independently, rather than in residential accommodation, for as long as possible, and this new development will help residents to do just that.

“I was delighted to be able to look around the new accommodation, which is bright, airy and just feels like a great place to live. I hope that the residents share my enthusiasm when they move in early next year.”

Aileen Evans, Managing Director of MacIntyre Housing Association, which will run the scheme, added: “We are so pleased these tenants will be able to enjoy up-to-date facilities and thrive independently with support from our housing officers. This is just the sort of accommodation which we are so desperately short of around the country.”

The development is located on the site of a former care home which had been closed since 2007 and had become a target for vandalism.

The first stage of the development was completed last year in which a four bedroom house was redeveloped on the site.

The second stage saw the former care home, which closed in 2007 and was a target for vandals, demolished and the new accommodation built by Lifebuild Solutions. Baily Garner was the employer’s agent for the project and the architect was Kyle Smart Associates.