Vulnerable adults and homeless have place to call their own as £5.7m Black Country apartment block opens its doors
A new £5.7 million apartment block providing housing for vulnerable adults and the homeless has opened its doors in the Black Country.
The two-storey building in Gibbs Road, Lye, is on the site of a former hostel.
The development is called Saltbrook Place and has 58 one-bedroom apartments for homeless people.
Twenty-four of these are clustered around communal dining and lounge spaces for those with short-term support needs.
The rest are self-contained and are aimed at providing a stepping stone to independent living.
Seven of the ground floor rooms also have kennels for dogs.
Open to individuals and couples, the service is managed 24-hours a day.
People also have access to an IT suite, learning kitchen and allotments.
Developed by Midland Heart in partnership with Dudley Council, Homes and Communities Agency and Bullock Construction, the new development has been designed to help individuals overcome barriers to living independently.
David Cockcroft, operations manager of supported services at Midland Heart, said: "Saltbrook Place transforms the provision of services available to vulnerable individuals in the area.
"As well as giving structured support, Saltbrook will provide its customers with a motivating environment, enabling them to rebuild their lives and progress to independent living.
"Supporting vulnerable adults is not just about giving them a place to lay their head at night, it is about developing aspirations and providing the tools to make the right choices for the future."
Named by the community after a nearby boundary stream in Lye, Saltbrook Place also has extensive facilities which the neighbourhood can use.
These include meeting rooms, catering and exercise facilities, and the opportunity to get involved in gardening as part of the allotment scheme.
People living at the site will also have access to a training kitchen and doctors' surgery as well as a gym, allotment and basketball court.
A multi-agency steering group has overseen plans for the scheme since work started.
Meanwhile a new group has been set up to oversee the operation, featuring representatives from Dudley Council, police, health services and, various other local services and support groups.
Dudley councillor Gaye Partridge, who oversees housing projects in the borough, today welcomed the scheme.
She said: "This is a significant improvement which will help young people get their lives back on track."
As part of the funding, the Homes and Communities Agency have invested £3.6m in the new scheme.
The site, originally known as Gibbs Road House, initially opened its doors in the 1960s.
It was set up to work with vulnerable people from across Dudley but closed to customers as it was deemed not fit for purpose.
Partners Bullock construction started work building the centre on the Gibbs Road site in autumn 2013.
It mirrors similar schemes which Midland Heart have developed including The Snow Hill in Birmingham and Oasis House in Northampton.
