Your County - Putting Kent First

Kent 4 star Council

About the accommodation

Over the next 18 months, new housing accommodation will be built which has been secured through a partnership between KCC and 10 of the 12 District Councils.

340 units of housing will be delivered by the RSL partner, Housing 21 (this link will open in a new window), and consists of 275 units for older people, 58 for learning disabled (LD) and 7 for people with mental health problems (MH).

The accommodation has been procured to a high specification which was developed with OT's, District Managers and teams. The models of care are being finalised through a group which reports to the Policy Development and Review Board.

Supported Accommodation for LD and MH

These apartments will be built in Thanet (MH and LD), Dover (LD), Canterbury (LD), Shepway (LD), Maidstone (LD), Swale (LD), Tonbridge and Malling (LD) and Dartford (LD).

All schemes have seven apartments for tenants and one for communal/staff with the exception of Dartford that has nine apartments for tenants and one for communal/staff. The apartments will have a bedroom, bathroom, sitting room and kitchen. They will all be wired to connect in Telecare and will all have use of a buggy store.

People are eligible if they are over 16, have a housing and social care need and live locally. A panel will be established to identify suitable tenants from the Housing Register with a care need. The panel will consider applications and will take advice from a care provider and Housing 21 but nominated people will be put forward and voted on by Kent Adult Social Services (Care Management Teams) and District Council Housing partners.

Extra Care Sheltered Housing for Older People

These apartments will be built in Canterbury, Dartford, Shepway, Maidstone, Thanet, Dover and Ashford.
These schemes have approximately 40 units each and have a range of community facilities including:

  • a restaurant
  • a gym
  • a hairdresser
  • a shop
  • an internet cafe
  • communal lounges
  • staff offices and over night rooms
  • wheelchair/buggy store
  • guest bedroom and bathroom (for the whole scheme)
  • laundry
  • licensed bar
  • assisted bathroom, self assisted bathroom and luxury bathroom
  • flats with one and two bedrooms

People are eligible if they are over 55, have a housing and social care need and live locally. A panel will be established to identify suitable tenants from the Housing Register with a care need. The panel will consider applications and will take advice from a care provider and Housing 21 but nominated people will be put forward and voted by Kent Adult Social Services (Care Management Teams) and District Council Housing partners.

This accommodation is part of a 30 year PFI project between KCC and the 10 district partners and Housing 21. There are a number of agreed performance standards to be met by Housing 21. If they do not perform to this standard they will suffer deductions to their monthly payment. There is also action KCC and the Districts need to take in terms of nominations to ensure the maximum benefit is obtained from this contract.

The contract will be monitored centrally. If you have any queries, please contact Christy Holden, BHAL PFI Contract Manager through email at bhal.pfi@kent.gov.uk.

Copyright Kent County Council 2009