Central Bedfordshire Council’s Priory View, an independent living scheme in Dunstable, has been awarded the title of Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development at the Grand Final of the LABC Building Excellence Awards.
A panel of industry experts judged Priory View the category winner out of 11 finalists from across England and Wales.
Priory View, which was officially opened by HM The Queen in April this year, is a five storey residence containing 83 apartments of mixed tenure (affordable rent and shared ownership) for residents aged 55 or over. The building is a community hub including a restaurant, café, minimarket, hairdressers and beauty/treatment rooms in central atria, located within easy walking distance of Dunstable Town Centre. Priory View is the first independent living scheme built by Central Bedfordshire Council. This was a major challenge, a steep learning curve and very rewarding for the Council.
Priory View was deemed to be unique because it has the ‘wow’ factor from the second you walk in, rather than accommodation that an older person has to ‘accept’ because their home is no longer suitable for them. The colour schemes are bright and warm and the leisure areas are welcoming and spacious. The café and restaurant are shared with the local community and a delightful place for residents to take their family and friends. The roof terrace provides a great place to relax and the landscaped gardens and potting sheds give residents a place to make their mark on the development.
Cllr Carole Hegley, executive member for social care and housing at Central Bedfordshire Council, says: “We are delighted that Priory View has won with this award. The ethos of the building is to provide residents with the right balance of privacy and support, to live and be independent. This win is a tribute to all the professionals involved in this scheme and particularly the council’s building control team. I am delighted that we have the skills and talents in Central Bedfordshire to deliver top quality projects such as this.”
Cllr Nigel Young, executive member for regeneration at Central Bedfordshire Council, says: "Priory View offers a safe and secure home, a community of like-minded people, a social life on the doorstep and yet support and care when residents do need it. This is part of a bigger plan to make sure we have the right sort of housing available for older residents within Central Bedfordshire, most of whom want to live in their own homes for as long as possible."
LABC chief executive Paul Everall says: “Our building excellence awards are an opportunity for the industry to celebrate innovation and good practice. Our winners demonstrate how positive working relationships with local council building control teams achieve high quality, sustainable buildings. Our awards are unique because they recognise how this cooperation improves building standards and professionalism across the industry.”
Pictured (left to right): Rob Burridge – LABC Warranty (Sponsor), Richard Scott – LABC President, Colin Smart - Kyle Smart Architects, Chris Weir – Kyle Smart Architects. Ian Johnson – Housing Team, Samantha Holder – Building Control, Kim Dallen – Building Control, Andrew Davie – Assistant Director – Development Infrastructure, Gyles Brandreth – Guest Presenter.
