Replacing Thornton House

As part of Wulvern Housing's consultation on the various options to replace Thornton House in Cheshire Street with a modern supported housing complex by 2015, Wulvern are attending the Village Meeting this evening, Tuesday, 26th March at 7.30pm in the Public Hall to discuss these options with local people.

Over recent months, Audlem & District Community Action ADCA, which runs the day club and coffee club activities at Thornton House, have been working with the Parish Council to scope the redevelopment options with Wulvern, who are being very supportive in trying to achieve a positive local solution. This includes how best to ensure the continued provision of communal facilities on the site so that ADCA's work can continue.

Various funding options are being pursued to try to ensure that more supported and affordable housing units over and above simply replacing the current eight units are built along with a modernised communal facility.

The Homes and Communities Agency are being approached to provide additional money for added housing units, especially given the very positive outcome of the recent Rural Housing Needs Survey undertaken in the village.

This survey demonstrated that, of a total of 98 potential new households requiring local housing, 37 would need subsidised ownership or rental properties. These includes a significant number of older and disabled people who needed smaller, accessible accommodation or that was closer to carer and relatives.

Coupled with the findings of similar surveys of 6 other parishes in the rural area around Audlem which identify a further 39 households needing affordable or supported housing, it is vital that the opportunity is taken to expand the number of housing units to be provided at Thornton House in a reasonable way.

Within the Thornton House section of the Housing Survey which 306 people responded to, 68% were in favour of additional housing units being built to meet local needs.

However, funding for the building of continued communal facilities will be more difficult to obtain and is by no means guaranteed. ADCA are working with Wulvern, Cheshire East Council and the Parish Council and are also approaching a range of charitable bodies to try to put together the necessary capital and to also ensure that running costs can be covered.

Local benefactors are also being encouraged to come forward! Within the Housing Survey, 80% of the 306 respondents were in favour of continued communal facilities to provide the base for community support to both local social housing tenants as well as people in the wider community. With such an assured base, ADCA would aim to continue to extend the range of support services provided.

So, it is crucial that as many people as possible attend the Village Meeting to have their say on this important development.

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