NEW apartments in Stourbridge developed for people with additional needs have been officially opened by the town’s MP.
Suzanne Webb MP was invited by the owner Dunclent Properties and care provider Complesso to open the new flats at Tudor Court in Worcester Street on Tuesday August 8.
The six new homes, created on the site of an old mock Tudor detached house, have been designed specifically for people with physical and mental disabilities.
Greg Dickens, of Dunclent Properties, said the development, which includes wet rooms and accessible kitchens in each property, aims to help boost the limited housing provision for people with complex care needs that currently exists in the Dudley borough.
Mr Dickens, a property developer working on projects for social good, showed the MP around the new spacious high-spec properties.
The Tory MP also met Andrea Smith, a manager at Future Housing Solutions, John Harper from Complesso, plus project manager Ben Dunn and site manager Kai Wilson at the opening.
She said: “It was great honour to be invited to officially open these fantastic flats.
“This is a positive investment for Stourbridge that has both created jobs and answered the need for specialist housing for local people with additional needs.
“Solidbond have built this property to an incredible standard – which is no surprise because they are one of the few construction companies who are members of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
“I was very impressed with the standard and build quality of them and I would like to thank everyone involved – Solidbond, Dunclent Properties and the care provider, Complesso, who have all worked fabulously together on a wonderful project that will make a difference in our town.”
Each resident will have either 1:1 or 2:1 care and each flat has a spare bedroom for a carer and the scheme means that 33 people will be employed in Stourbridge as a result of the development Mr Dickens said he bought the site after seeing it go on the market and disapproving of the plans at the time.
He said: “I didn’t like the design and thought I’ll buy it and make something nicer out of it.”
Initially it was going to be swanky, modern apartments but after problems surfaced with the build – the whole project had to be refigured.
It was after this that Mr Dickens decided the build would lend itself to people with additional needs wanting to live independently.
He said of the project: “It’s been a challenging time but I’ve really enjoyed the process and that we’ve solved a problem – it’s been a triumph of collaborative working and it’s helping the most vulnerable people in society.”
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