Great Places Housing Group has been chosen to design, build and manage the UK’s first purpose-built later living scheme for an LGBTQ+ community.
The scheme, on the site of the former Spire Hospital in Whalley Range, south Manchester, will deliver more than 100 apartments for people aged 55 and over, with a mix of affordable homes.
The details of the scheme will be developed with the input of the Russell Road Community Steering Group, Manchester City Council and LGBT Foundation.
It is the second time the community will have been consulted on plans for the scheme, after Anchor Hanover was rejected as the city’s partner last year.
Great Places, which is based in south Manchester, owns 25,000 affordable homes in more than 30 local authority areas across the North West and South Yorkshire.
Great Places executive director Helen Spencer said: “The Russell Road site presents an exciting opportunity, and we look forward to working with LGBT Foundation, the community steering group and Manchester City Council in delivering this unique and ambitious scheme.”
Paul Martin, chief executive of LGBT Foundation, said the announcement was “a positive and exciting step in addressing the housing needs of our older LGBTQ+ people”.
He added: “LGBTQ+ individuals are at greater risk of social isolation, discrimination and poor health outcomes as they get older, and many may not have access to supportive networks of family and friends. The Russell Road Extra Care housing scheme is designed to address these challenges by providing a purpose-built, inclusive environment where LGBTQ+ people can live independently, but with access to care and support services as needed, and the scheme aims to promote greater social connection, reduce social isolation and improve the health and wellbeing of its residents.”
Manchester City Council hopes that the Russell Road scheme will become a model for other cities and communities “to create more inclusive and supportive environments for their older LGBTQ+ communities”.
Anchor Hanover was previously selected for the scheme in March 2021, but the council decided to hold a new competition in June last year.
At the time, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing, Gavin White, said: “The local management arrangements required to meet the specific needs of LGBTQ+ communities within Manchester mean there will be other organisations better-suited than Anchor to take it forward.”
Announcing the selection of Great Places, White said: “Great Places has a proven track record of delivering high-quality housing across the city and will bring that expertise into this much-needed scheme.”
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