Housing Services

Retirement Housing in Ashford

Richard Robinson

Housing Services

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The Way We Were

• Before 2010

• in our own stock • 12 sheltered schemes (450 dwellings)

• Most of this 25 – 40 years old

• plus 720 older persons bungalows

• Small amount of RP older persons stock in borough

• very limited private sector provision specifically for older people

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• We recognised need for investment in our stock

• We still had some bedsits

• Many flats were very small and dark

• Lots of steps in the schemes/inadequate lift coverage

• Poor communal facilities – certainly by 21st century standards

• Stock built late 1960s/early 70s was showing its age

• Schemes had a sense of isolation

Welcome Home (?)

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Under Pressure• Against this background of mixed quality stock we also

had huge demographic change (now and coming)

• Ashford was (is) a growth area

• We were seeing a disproportionate increase in older persons’ inward migration to the borough

• People were living longer

• Increased expectations of sustaining independence for life or as long as possible

• 20% over 65 by 2020

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Think! Credit crunch (2008) did force us to take a hard look at our planned maintenance programmes

•Decided to suspend our remodelling of schemes with our then plans

•Also did not know at that point the way HRA reform would pan out

•Took the opportunity to begin thinking again – including seeing what standards extra care PFI was about to deliver

•Stopping for a bit meant we could look upwards

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Something Better Change In 2010 things really started to change

• HAPPI report came out and this really helped shift our focus on the value of investing in our sheltered stock

• We commissioned PTEa Architects to do a feasibility study on 8 of our schemes

• Their findings, based on HAPPI ratings, gave us a clear set of ideas as to what was possible and what it might cost

• HRA reform began to look like an opportunity – if we were bold!

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HAPPI Talk The original HAPPI report helped us in several ways

•It not only confirmed what we knew about the shortcomings in terms of accommodation,

•it also helped us to see what sheltered housing ought to be in terms of

• Quality (space, light, affordability, common space etc.)

• Fit with the broader community

• How investing in sheltered housing would have positive consequences in freeing up family accommodation

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Money……. PTEa architects were able to help us see what could be done on our existing sites but how could we fund this?

•Whilst assessing what could be done, HRA reform was nearing a conclusion

•Buying ourselves out of the subsidy system meant incurring a huge debt - £120m

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…… Money, Money• servicing debt interest on £120m = £4m pa

• had subsidy arrangements remained we would pay c. £8m pa

• Officers and members saw this very much as an opportunity – to invest in our stock

• Our gain in effect (paying interest only) was c. £4m pa

• And £4m a year soon adds up!

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The Long Run

• working with members we agreed 5 key priorities for investment as a consequence of HRA reform

• These included commitment to remodel 8 of our 12 sheltered schemes

• The likely cost of this will be £50m over 12 -15 years

• But the gain is significant

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Every One’s A Winner

• We increase our sheltered unit numbers

• We increase the quality of our offer

• We establish true homes for life in extra care quality settings

• We provide better communal facilities

• We ‘gain’ family units as these come back when older people move to the new units

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Let’s Work Together We see this project very much as an example of partnership working

•Design panel – all agencies represented

•FSC/ Health – crucial

•Age UK

•PRP Architects – amongst leaders in the field of OP housing/Instrumental in HAPPI2 report

•Denne Construction

•Tenant engagement

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Back To LifeWe plan to start work at Farrow Court in South Ashford:

why?

•Has significant council-owned land around the scheme

•Can therefore build new before anything else which solves most of our decanting problems

•Can also establish new day centre as high quality facility for both the scheme and wider community (Stanhope)

•Can provide a new, better recuperative care facility and a wing dedicated for adults with learning difficulties

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With A Little Help From My Friends• We estimate the cost somewhere between £12.5m

and £12.8m

• We can afford this through the HRA reform savings by appropriate phasing of the development and some use of our Affordable Homes Programme grant

• But we are also looking to supplement funding where prudent and possible

• S 106 contributions, CASSH Fund, possible lottery funding (via Age UK)

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Wouldn’t It be Nice

• Phase 1 should be complete by March 2015

• Phase 2 by early 2017

• The final scheme delivers just over 100 units of high quality ‘extra care’ accommodation built to HAPPI2 standards

• We gain approximately 60 new units on the site

• And that then enables decanting which in turn leads to redeveloping the 7 other sites we wish to develop on the same principles over the following 12 – 15 years

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I Can See Clearly Now That’s not all ……..• Reviewed work of our scheme management service in part to better align it to the future nature of our redeveloped schemes

• Continuing to work with RP partners to deliver quality OP accommodation in both urban and rural settings

• Actively involved in EHFA PFI project to deliver extra care facility to Tenterden

• Looking at innovative ways to provide accommodation in villages through the Community Trust model

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Move On UpSome of where we are comes from good fortune e.g. available land at Farrow Court

But a lot too comes from:• Seeing reform as an opportunity

• Seeing investment in OP housing as a ‘win’ across the whole of our stock

• Looking at the bigger implications and benefits of being bold

• Being committed, and remembering….

• that what we build now will be for our benefit all too soon!

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Any Questions