PLANS for an ambitious multi-million pound extra care housing scheme for the elderly can now press ahead ? the Guinness Trust has completed the purchase of the former Castle Hospital site in Okehampton from NHS Estates. Members of Devon County Council?s executive this week applauded the initiative, to which the council has allocated £500,000 from funds raised through council tax on second homes. Funds have also come from West Devon Borough Council, which has allocated £500,000 and the Housing Corporation, which has awarded £3.25-million. The Guinness Trust will make up the difference to the final cost of the scheme, which has not yet been finalised. It is proposed to provide 50 units of extra care housing on the site. Residents will have access to on-site care and support, 24 hours every day, commissioned by Devon County Council, and to health services provided by Mid Devon Primary Care Trust. Mayor of Okehampton Cllr Frances Luxton paid tribute to the hard work of people who had helped to achieve the scheme. ?It has got to be an asset. We did not want to lose it to development, so it is good it is going to be kept for community use,? she said. David Incoll, West Devon Borough Council?s chief executive, said: ?The Castle Hospital site is a level site, close to Okehampton town centre and provides an ideal location for this development which is specifically designed for people who wish to live independently but require support.? The county council and the health service have been trying to develop innovative extra care housing schemes across the county with private sector housing agencies for about three years. It says residents and their families welcome such schemes because of the independence they offer while ensuring their health and social care needs are met. The county council, although not a housing authority, is the only county council in the country to commit all of its extra income from council tax on second homes ? setting aside a massive £8.85-million in 2004/05 and 2005/06 ? to fund affordable and supported housing, two years in succession. The council announced in December 2005 its final allocation decision which it has ring fenced for affordable and extra care housing projects. The Guinness Trust was founded in 1890 and has been providing good quality, affordable homes for more than 100 years. Currently, the Guinness Trust Group provides accommodation for more than 50,000 people. Richard Morton, South West area development manager for the Guinness Trust, said: ?The trust is pleased to have received the generous support of the various grant funders to enable us to develop this exciting new scheme, drawing on our experience of developing and managing successful extra care schemes elsewhere around the country, particularly recent schemes in Bristol.? Phil Deacon, head of investment at the Housing Corporation South West, said: ?I am delighted that the Housing Corporation has been able to grant substantial funds to the Guinness Trust to provide much needed affordable housing and support for elderly and vulnerable people in rural West Devon.?
