October 20 2007
Town centre tenants get help to move

Older residents living in Bedford town centre are being given support to move to new affordable accommodation under plans for redevelopment.

bpha has been in consultation with residents at Gwyn Court and Patteshull Court over proposals to close the outdated blocks, built in the 1960s.

The five-storey blocks provide 76 flats – a mixture of bedsits and small one-bedroom units – but currently just 45 residents live at the accommodation.

The homes no longer meet standards expected of retirement accommodation and the structure of the buildings mean the flats and bedsits cannot be extended or improved.

Both also fall within the area set to be developed as part of the town centre redevelopment by Bedford Borough Council.

Alison Baggott, executive director for neighbourhoods and communities at bpha, said: “We have been looking for some time now at the future of these two blocks. We have a duty to provide the best possible accommodation for all our residents – particularly older and vulnerable residents – and at present these flats just don’t meet the standards residents should expect.

“It is never an easy decision to close accommodation, but following consultation we believe this provides the best deal for those tenants at Gwyn and Patteshull courts.

“It means they will be supported to find more suitable accommodation meeting modern standards and by proceeding now we can also remove any uncertainty about the future of these blocks under the wider town centre redevelopment. This can be particularly unsettling for older residents.”

All tenants have now been informed of the decision to close the blocks, which was taken following two phases of consultation. A package of support will now be provided to make the move as easy as possible.

Tenants will be accompanied on visits to potential alternative accommodation and will also be given money towards moving costs, or given the option for bpha to handle any arrangements incurring a cost.

Ms Baggott said: “Initial consultation with tenants has shown that a proportion feel they cannot plan for their future or feel truly settled until the future of these blocks is clear.

“This, coupled with the need to improve the standard of the accommodation, has led us to the decision that closure of these blocks is the best one for our tenants in the long term.

“We recognise that this will cause some disruption in the short term, but we are committed to providing the best possible support to make the process as straightforward as possible.”

No timescale has been set for the closure of the blocks, which will only take place once every resident is settled in their new home.

bpha also owns and manages three other blocks of flats which fall within the town centre redevelopment area. These are Roise Court, Beckett Court and Priory Court.

No decision has yet been reached regarding this accommodation but bpha is continuing to work closely with the council and the developer on the plans, and keeping residents at these blocks informed as proposals develop.