£1 Secures Land for Social Housing

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 17th Oct 2005

Milton Keynes Council has approved the nominal price of £1 to sell a piece of land at Whaddon Way, West Bletchley to MacIntyre Housing Association for a housing development of two four-bedroom social rent bungalows for clients with learning disabilities. The overgrown site currently consists of 34 garages which are in a dilapidated state and have not been let for some time.

The Council has identified an urgent need to provide specialist housing for young adults with learning disabilities. Currently, this type of accommodation is unavailable locally with the result that young people have to be sent to expensive out-of-area services away from their families and friends. There are currently 90 clients with learning disabilities on the Council's housing waiting list, 48 of whom need to live in small groups. The four-bedroom bungalows planned for the Whaddon Way site would be ideal. The site is also close to the Special Needs Day Service in Whaddon Way which some of the intended residents are likely to benefit from attending.

The proposed bungalows would be built for wheelchair access and to Eco Homes standards, which use less energy.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Irene Henderson, cabinet member responsible for housing and social care said: "This is another chance for the Council to target those most in need. The garages are in a poor state of repair and attract anti-social behaviour. By transferring the land to MacIntyre we are creating the opportunity for regeneration and providing some well-needed housing."