Work to provide eight new homes for people who would otherwise be at risk of rough sleeping has been completed on Milton Avenue, in Irlam, Salford.
The £1.2m development of eight one-bedroom flats has been built by ForHousing, which owns and manages over 24,000 homes across the North-West. The eight new apartments are part of the Government’s Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) and supported by more than £550,000 of Homes England funding.
The Government’s £433m RSAP was launched in 2020 with the aim of delivering up to 6,000 homes for rough sleepers and bringing forward accommodation to help tackle rough sleeping in the long-term.
The new tenants in Milton Avenue will be offered wrap-around support from ForHousing in partnership with Salford City Council, to give them the best chance of rebuilding their lives and sustaining their tenancy. This includes high-level support with setting up bills, paying rent, drug and alcohol support, employment, volunteering, and training.
Tenancies for RSAP homes are for a maximum of three years so that support continues to be available for other rough sleepers for many years to come.
In addition to the eight flats, designed by JDA Architects, ForHousing has also built a three-bedroom house on the site, which a family are already happily settling into.
Mike Parkin, CEO at ForHousing, who visited the site with Councillor Tracy Kelly and met some of the new tenants, said: “In the wake of the current economic crisis, homelessness is sadly on the rise.
“We believe everyone deserves a safe place to call home. That’s why we’re really pleased to see people who were homeless making a fresh start in these new homes on Milton Avenue.
“Thanks to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and our partnership with Salford City Council, we can help more people secure the foundation to build a brighter future.”
The landlord works closely with Salford City Council to identify local people in need and offer them a home.
Councillor Tracy Kelly, Statutory Deputy City Mayor and Lead Member for Housing, Property and Regeneration at Salford City Council said: “It is great news to see these eight new homes for people at risk of rough sleeping are now ready. The cost-of-living crisis is making it very difficult for lots of people and families in this city, but nobody should be forced to sleep on the streets.
“I’d like to thank our partners for bringing this vital scheme to life. The home will make such a difference to the lives of the people who move into them, and the wrap-around care provided should give the residents the vital care, support and opportunities they need. I wish them all the very best for the future.”
ForHousing, and its contractor PLP Construction Ltd, who delivered the Milton Avenue scheme, have already broken ground on its next site with a second scheme going through planning.
A further eight one-bedroom homes through RSAP have started on-site in Pendlebury, Swinton and a further six homes in Eccles are currently going through the planning process. ForHousing has invested close to £2m in these developments.
To date, the landlord has developed eight new homes and refurbished 16 flats in Salford thanks to RSAP and Next Steps Accommodation Programme (NSAP) funding, and in total, ForHousing has invested £3.6m into these homes.
NSAP is a government funding initiative, separate to RSAP, for schemes focused on preventing people who were sleeping rough and given temporary accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic, from returning to the streets.
Header image from left to right: Martyn Hague, Executive Director of Customer at ForHousing, Cllr Tracy Kelly, Mike Parkin CEO of ForHousing, Rebecca Whittle, Strategic Lead Neighbourhoods at ForHousing and Rachel Connelly, Head of Supported Housing at Salford City Council.
