New flats planned for old people in Brixham

Nearly £6 million could be spent on the scheme

A new development of 23 flats for older people is to be built on the site of a former care home in Brixham.

Torbay Council is prepared to spend nearly £6 million on the scheme which it says will help older people lead independent lives and will allow some to downsize and release large family homes onto the market.

The plan involves the St Kilda’s site in Brixham, which the council describes as a ‘poor quality, 1970s former care home’. The property has been empty for several years.

Plans to turn it into 23 flats for social rent were originally worked up by the council’s housing company Tor Vista homes and its development agency TDA, but both organisations were closed down last year.

Now the council is to take on responsibility for delivering the project, and the cabinet committee will be asked to give it the green light when it meets next week.

A business case has been drawn up, which suggests spending more than £400,000 on demolishing the existing building and £5.2 million on constructing the new one.

Local people have already had an opportunity to comment on the plans, but contractors will keep residents up to date on the project once it has begun.

A report to the meeting says: “Development of St Kilda’s is a key priority for the council.

“It will help older people live independently in our communities for the long-term, in a home that is genuinely suitable to meet their needs. It will also offer an opportunity for single people or couples, currently occupying larger family-sized social housing, to downsize into something more appropriate and manageable.

“This means the vacated home can be refurbished and re-let to a household with children that needs a suitably-sized property.”