Plans have been submitted to Blackpool Council seeking permission to build a block of 25 new sheltered housing units.
The scheme, which has been drawn up by architects Cassidy and Ashton, will help meet rising demand for this type of accommodation with hundreds of people currently on the waiting list.
Proposals are for a three-storey building on the site of former council offices on the corner of Whitegate Drive and Ferguson Road in Blackpool which have been demolished.
The council’s executive agreed in July to apply for funding from government body Homes England towards building the apartments.
Councillors were told there are currently 2,263 people on the waiting list in Blackpool for sheltered accommodation with much of the current sheltered housing stock considered no longer fit for purpose due to its age.
If it gets the go-ahead, the new sheltered housing, which will be a mix of one and two-bedroom flats which are fully accessible including for people with disabilities and having to use wheelchairs. There will be a lift to the upper floors, an alarm system, a warden and outside space for mobility scooters.
In its application, Cassidy and Ashton says: “There is a demand for and a need to increase the number of suitable sheltered housing units for the over 55s within the borough.
“Much of the existing sheltered accommodation housing stock is not considered fit for purpose and there are significant waiting lists for this type of dwelling.
“The provision of fully accessible units in a sustainable location would make a tangible contribution to the council’s housing stock.
“The council’s ambition is to provide high-quality homes that make a significant contribution to resident’s quality of life, reflecting the borough-wide desire to create neighbourhoods that are desirable places to live in and which inspire aspiration and a sense of hope.”
The proposed new homes will be managed by the council-owned Blackpool Coastal Housing and available for rent at social rent level.
The application (reference 24/0379) will now go before town hall planners for consideration.
Images – Artist’s impressions of the proposed new sheltered housing (credit Cassidy and Ashton)
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