Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP was back in her home constituency of Ashton-under-Lyne to help residents celebrate moving into new homes.
She visited and chatted to tenants at Brickfields House, a newly completed development of 42 affordable rent homes for over 55s built by housing association Southway Housing Trust in collaboration with Watson and BTP Architects.
The Age Friendly development on Henrietta Street provides one-bedroom apartments which are easier to maintain and energy efficient to help lower residents’ fuel bills.
To support older people to live well and independently features include bathrooms with walk-in showers, and discreet adaptations placed in homes and around the building.
The 21,800 square foot development also has a lift, storage for mobility scooters, a communal garden, on-site parking and is within walking distance of local amenities with public transport links to Ashton town centre and Manchester city centre close by.
Brickfields House is a new build to replace the former Emmanuel Court building of mainly bedsits built in the 1970s which were poor quality and no longer fit for purpose.
It is funded by a grant from Homes England and £530,000 from Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund.
Tameside Council worked with Southway to bring the proposal forward and they supported grant applications to Homes England and Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Angela joined Southway and partners from Tameside Council, Homes England and Greater Manchester Combined Authority to mark the opening of the new development with a ribbon cutting and tea and cake.
Angela Rayner, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Droylsden and Dukinfield, said: “It was great to visit Brickfields House and chat to residents who were very happy to be moving into their new homes. The former bedsits that were here previously were no longer fit for purpose but these one bedroom apartments will be easier to maintain and more energy efficient. I’m pleased to see that they are age friendly and suitable for adaptations should residents need extra support.”
60-year-old Andrew Campbell from Ashton has osteoarthritis and has just moved into Brickfields House to help with his mobility. He said: “I’m excited about my new home because it’s closer to family and age friendly with lifts to help me get around as I struggle on the stairs.
“The homes are modern with new kitchens and the size makes them a lot easier to maintain.”
Southway Housing Trust is a community-focused housing association which manages around 6,000 homes across South Manchester.
John Bowker, Southway Housing Trust Chief Executive added: “Greater Manchester and the UK as a whole is facing a housing crisis and I’m pleased that Brickfields House helps to address local housing need by providing quality homes for older people to live independently.
“This is our first development of its kind in Tameside and it was fantastic for Angela to join us in celebrating the completion of these new homes with our residents.”