As a social housing provider, we play a key part in tackling the chronic housing shortage.
As a social housing provider, it is our responsibility to continue providing high-quality homes of all kinds.
This includes homes for social and affordable rent, shared ownership, homes for older people, and supported accommodation for autistic adults, people with a learning disability, an acquired brain injury, or a mental health condition.
In March 2024, we successfully delivered our five-year Development Strategy, which commenced in April 2019. This provided nearly 1,000 new homes, with the majority delivered across Lancashire. During 2023/24, we delivered 82 affordable rent homes, 59 shared ownership homes, and 35 supported living homes.
A total of £40 million was invested in new homes, of which £4 million came from Homes England to support the building of affordable housing and £3 million from the NHS and other sources to help deliver supported living accommodation.
A new five-year Development Strategy has recently been approved and adopted. This strategy covers the period from April 2024 to March 2029 and will deliver a similar-scale programme of new homes.
We continue to work with Onward Homes to deliver against our strategic partnership grant funding commitment to Homes England to support the delivery of more than 400 new affordable homes by March 2028. One development is complete, providing 27 affordable units (20 with the support of grant funding), and four developments are underway, which, when complete, will provide a further 271 homes.
Our first purpose-built Extra Care scheme in Lancaster is progressing well on-site and will deliver 92 high-specification one and two-bedroom homes for those aged 55 and over in early 2025. The scheme will include assisted bathing, a hairdressing facility, a games room, a roof terrace and a laundry room. Tailored care and support packages will also help tenants live independently.
Our house-building subsidiary, Concert Homes, was established in 2017 to develop homes for outright sale. Any surplus is reinvested back into the Group to provide more affordable homes. This year, Concert Homes completed 74 homes at two developments on the Fylde Coast, including 27 affordable homes for rent in rural Weeton.
Annear Place
Lancaster Extra Care
This flagship 92-unit Extra Care scheme, due to complete in 2025, incorporates one and two-bedroom apartments, with three one-bedroom apartments being wheelchair friendly. Also, two existing buildings will be converted into 16 one and two-bedroom general needs flats.
The scheme will incorporate additional features such as assisted bathing, spa bathing, a hairdressing facility, a games room, roof terraces, and a laundry room.
External works will include alterations and remodelling of the existing stone boundary wall, landscaping, a car park with EV charging points, restoration of all historical sandstone buildings and installation of external lighting.
