Accommodation with support

Our Accommodation with support programme is one of our largest building and services improvement schemes, with a projected investment from developers of up to £135 million.

We are working with developers and health organisations to provide new housing and services, many of which will be affordable homes for:

local people
key workers employed in the health and social care sector
adults who require various degrees of support for a range of mental health and physical requirements

Modern, eco-friendly and fit for purpose accommodation will be created over the next few years, along with up to date health facilities and services, care provision and community spaces, within easy reach of town centres. Where possible, we are using our own land to make this happen.

Locations will be transformed, offering new spaces for communities to live, work and socialise together.

Looking after our ageing population

The population is increasing – and getting older. The 65+ years demographic is the largest in the UK, so it’s more important than ever to build appropriate accommodation and look after our communities.

Whatever our age, but especially as we enter our later years, we need to be thinking about:

how our health may diminish
what we might need to help us live a healthy and independent life
what type of accommodation we want to live in

Expectations are changing, as people want to live in their own home for as long as they can, with as much independence as possible. They also want to be able to make their own choices about the right care and support when it is needed.

We need to make sure there are housing and services in place to meet these demands. Along with our health partners, we can provide care and support to enable local people to live happy, long and independent lives.

Supported Living and Extra Care

The right accommodation can have a significant positive impact on wellbeing. Making sure physical environments are designed around the needs of frailty, impaired mobility, and dementia can go a long way in helping you to stay independent without needing lots of intrusive and expensive care.

New buildings can be designed around the possibilities that modern technology can bring. This will not only help people stay connected with friends and family, and keep independence, but it can also help make sure care and support is financially sustainable.

An Extra Care scheme will enable adults of all ages to live independently or continue to live as independently as possible. Extra Care is purpose built accommodation (usually apartments) designed around the needs of people with mobility issues or frailty, and with a 24-hour support service on site.

Extra Care accommodation:

has lots of communal areas
can help create vibrant communities
can allow older people to keep living in their own home for longer and with the right care and support services
avoids people moving into care homes

Extra Care is a good option for some working age adults with disabilities, particularly people with learning disabilities who have been living with elderly parents for much of their lives.

Supported living accommodation for adults, particularly younger adults with disabilities, allows them to move away from home when they want to or return to the local area from care homes out of the area. Giving people the opportunity to be independent will facilitate them to:

make their own choices and decisions
learn new skills and interests
contribute to the local economy through apprenticeship programmes
feel part of a community

The developments

The financial and efficiency savings on health and adult care services in the short and long term will greatly benefit the public purse. Investing in the community through state-of-the-art buildings and landscaping now, will ensure adults of all ages can live long and happy lives in a space designed to suit their needs in an area they already call home.

New developments also enable the use of modern technology and digital solutions to help keep people independent. This frees up time and money, which can allow care and support to be focussed to be on what is most meaningful for people.

Affordable housing/accommodation

The government define affordable housing as 80% of market value (or market rent). In many places, this is still not affordable for local people.

Our development and housing partners are aiming to deliver as much as possible at or as close as possible to social rents.

For keyworkers and people on the housing register, homes will be available at affordable rents and some properties will be available to buy.

In Extra Care housing and other housing with support, there are often extra things which have to be built into service charges which bring them above social rent levels. This reflects the extra requirements around mobility standards, communal space and background housing support which people who need this type of housing often need. The target rents are still lower than ‘affordable’ rents and will be as close to social rent as possible given these extra requirements.

We also recognise the affordability of a person’s home is more than just the rent. It can include the cost of heating and lighting, and things like service charges and ground rents. We are committed to sustainable, low carbon development and are considering how design standards such as Passivhaus can permanently reduce energy bills.

Parking

Adequate spaces to park vehicles, bicycles and mobility scooters have been considered throughout the design process of projects and space has been dedicated within the complex to limit/negate overflow into residential or neighbouring areas.

Future developments

We are reviewing:

the land we own in Dorset
housing needs
employment viability
service provision

Areas which are identified as being viable, will be progressed in due course. It is hoped the programme will be able to deliver integrated homes and care facilities in different parts of the county.

Future developments update

We have four sites across the Dorset Council area we are going to develop into Extra Care Housing.

We are in the process of recruiting a development partner who will work with us to create modern, fit-for-purpose and future proof accommodation. This is for our residents who need care and support whilst living in their own homes.

Inclusive Housing Design Guide 2025

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