Supported Housing Stock Review decision

The Board of Merlin Housing Society has accepted the society's recommendations about the future of ten supported housing schemes deemed 'at risk' in a recent review.

The decision comes after many rounds of meetings and informal and formal consultation with residents, local councillors and MPs.

Sally Wilcox, Head of Supported Housing for Merlin said: "We wanted to engage residents and show that we were listening to them throughout this process.

"More than 80% of our residents gave us their opinion on the options for the future of their schemes and two thirds agreed with what we were proposing."

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The proposals are:

• Ableton Court, Severn Beach - Redevelop for family housing
• Buckingham House, Filton - Remodel for improved older people's housing
• Charlton Court, Patchway - Retain, do basic improvement works, revisit in 10 years
• Haddrell Court, Alveston - Redevelop after working with the council to identify strategic need, retain and do basic improvement works in the meantime
• Irving Close, Staple Hill - Redevelop for family housing and older people's bungalows
• Langdale Court, Patchway - Remodel scheme for improved older people's housing
• Neate Court, Little Stoke - Retain, do basic improvement works, revisit in 10 years
• Newleaze House, Filton - Change of use
• Prinknash Court, Yate - Remodel scheme for improved older people's housing
• Ware Court, Winterbourne - Remodel scheme to produce improved older people's housing (mixed tenure)

Said Sally: "As a not-for-profit organisation, we have a responsibility to ensure we get the best value for money from our residents rent, but we also have a duty of care to provide the best possible environment for our residents.

"It's great that so many of them can see the benefits that will come as we improve their schemes. However, we know the prospect of change can be  very worrying. We're committed to working with residents on a 1-2-1 basis to ensure that they are supported through this process.

"We've written to residents this week to tell them the outcome and invite them to a meeting to explain the next steps and give them a very rough timescale for when those steps will happen.

"It will take us time to plan in and schedule all the works and as an organisation, we don't envisage starting any of the remodelling or redevelopment until at least 2014."