Construction of a new £4.5 million state-of-the-art sheltered housing scheme in St Albans is set to start this month. The new scheme will provide 34 new homes for the elderly. It is a replacement for Eric Steele House in Park Street, and is being provided by St Albans City and District Council working in partnership with local housing association North Hertfordshire Homes.
Artist's impression of Eric Steele House
The scheme was designed in full consultation with residents from Eric Steele House and includes communal facilities such as a residents’ lounge, kitchen and dining rooms, beauty treatment and consultation rooms, and a computer suite. It will also be environmentally friendly – using a combined heat and power system that will cut carbon emissions and result in lower heating and energy bills for residents.
Cllr Joyce Lusby, Portfolio Holder for Housing Services at St Albans City and District Council’s said “The Council is delighted that construction of this new sheltered housing scheme is now under way. The Council and North Hertfordshire Homes have spent a lot of time consulting residents about the design, and the result is a fantastic looking building that will meet the needs of residents for many years to come.”
North Hertfordshire Homes’ Chief Executive, Kevin Thompson, said “We are very proud of our plans for this development – which will be our flagship scheme in St Albans City and District. We have secured over £2.2 million in government funding towards the scheme, and the flats should be finished and ready for residents by the summer of 2011. The new flats will be available for rent to people from the old Eric Steele House and to local people nominated by St Albans City and District Council”
Anyone interested in renting one of the new flats should contact St Albans City and District Council’s Housing Lettings department on 01727 819 480.
Notes:
1. North Hertfordshire Homes is a Registered Social Landlord, set up in April 2003 to take ownership of North Hertfordshire District Council’s housing stock.
2. We own and manage approximately 8,700 homes including over 800 units of sheltered accommodation and around 200 temporary and supported housing places.
3. NHH has a strong neighbourhood focus and a firm commitment to resident involvement.
4. Our properties are located predominately in north Hertfordshire, but we also own homes in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
Contacts:
Sally Bailey, NHH Marketing & PR Officer on Tel: 01462 705491 or by email on sally.bailey@nhh.co.uk or Amanda Wilkinson, St Albans City and District Council, communication officer on Tel: 01727 819317 or email amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk