Much needed accessible homes delivered in Dawlish

25/05/2018

Thanks to a successful working partnership between local housing authority Teignbridge District Council, Cornerstone and housebuilder Redrow, we today welcomed the tenants of our two newly-built fully wheelchair accessible houses on the Warren Grove development in Dawlish.

This comes two weeks after the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reported an extreme national shortage of accessible homes, with some 365,000 disabled people living in homes unsuitable for their needs.

The first of four wheelchair accessible homes under construction at Warren Grove, these fully-wheelchair accessible homes were specifically designed with input from the tenant’s occupational therapy teams to allow unimpeded wheelchair movement and ensure their needs were met. Each house features an adapted kitchen and wet room, space for either through floor or stair lifts, level access to the garden and a wheelchair charging store.

Carolyn Cromwell, Occupational Therapist, said: “I’m so impressed with the layout of the wheelchair accessible properties. There is a real sense that a client-centred approach has been taken within the design. Both Redrow and Cornerstone have listened carefully to the wheelchair users’ needs and the difficulties they experience with everyday tasks. This has resulted in homes that will facilitate and promote the independence of the individual, enabling them to complete everyday tasks that would normally be a challenge to someone with a disability.”

The delivery of new specialist accommodation is crucial in helping people to continue living in their own homes and in their local area close to support networks. With significant waiting lists for suitable accessible accommodation in Teignbridge, as with many local authorities nationally, it has become a specific focus for Teignbridge District Council in development negotiations.

Teignbridge District Council secured Section 106 planning obligations which required 5% of the affordable homes at Redrow’s Warren Grove development to be wheelchair accessible.

The successful delivery of accessible homes at Warren Grove represents the latest example in the Council’s strong track record of working in partnership to provide homes that take full account of all housing needs, including those of older people, vulnerable people, self build, traveller and rural housing.

Photograph, left-right: Anne Seaborne, Development Manager at Cornerstone; Cllr Humphrey Clemens, Teignbridge District Council’s Executive for Planning and Housing; Rob Pendall, Site Manager for Redrow; Amy Luxton, Teignbridge District Council’s Housing Enabling Officer.