Green light for Salford extra care scheme
Salix Homes, the housing association spun out of Salford Council five years ago, has won planning approval for 70 extra care homes on Arrow Street, its first such scheme as an independent organisation.
The scheme is located on a 2.1-acre site previously occupied by a row of terraced houses that were demolished more than a decade ago. The site has been left as vacant since.
Salix Homes’ scheme comprises 70 one- and two-bedroom apartments in three connected blocks, offered for social rent and designed in partnership with Salford Council and the local clinical commissioning group.
The apartments are intended to be dementia-friendly and provide specialist accommodation for older people who require a high level of care and support.
In addition to the apartments, residents will be able to access communal facilities such as a café, hairdressers and a yoga/fitness studio.
The project has been designed by OMI Architects, whose senior associate Adam Gray said: “The proposals for the Arrow Street site will provide high quality extra care and dementia-friendly residential accommodation for people over the age of 55.
“Comprising three connected blocks, the building will provide 70 dwellings with communal facilities and a landscaped garden. The architectural expression of bay fronts and dormer windows echoes that of the site’s original Melbourne Street terraces.”
Lee Sugden, chief executive of Salix Homes, added: “We hope the residents will also be able to make use of the extra communal facilities that have been added to this project which really raises the bar in terms of what is expected historically from a typical extra care scheme.”
Salix Homes became an independent housing association in 2015 after its tenants voted in favour of the ownership of homes being transferred over from Salford Council. Salix now manages around 8,000 homes across Salford and this is its first extra care scheme.
“Undertaking a new project such as Arrow Street reflects our ambition to provide high quality accommodation to those who need it most,” said Terry McBride, development manager at the organisation.
