Member Article

Arches housing launches new Pitsmoor development

Arches Housing, the housing association that provides homes to a rich mix of residents in diverse communities across Sheffield and Rotherham and Derbyshire, is launching a new project in Sheffield’s Pitsmoor area.

Breinburg Court is a development of 16 homes specifically tailored to the needs of older and vulnerable members of the Black and Ethnic Minority community.

The properties were originally built in the 1990s to provide supported housing to the city’s African-Caribbean community.

Now, though, the development has undergone an extensive programme of improvement in a project carried out by Arches Housing in partnership with city charity SACHMA Health and Social Care.

And as part of that work, Breinburg Court will also now become the base for many of SACHMA’s community services.

The first residents are currently moving into the properties, which are fully decorated and carpeted and white goods are also provided.

All homes now also have increased energy efficiency as standard, wi-fi in all areas and a full range of services, including both on-site and out-of-hours support and outreach provision to support residents to live independently.

A completely renovated community space will provide a hub for a selection of activities, including a dementia cafe and lunch club and health and wellbeing sessions delivered by SACHMA.

Arches Housing was formed in 1975 with the aim of providing affordable decent homes for rent and regeneration, assisting in the revival of communities in Sheffield.

Today, the association provides a range 1,300 properties offered at social and affordable rents, including over 100 shared ownership properties - and continues to grow by developing homes for the people of Sheffield, Rotherham and Derbyshire.

“Breinburg Court is very much at the heart of the Arches Housing community and is just a short distance from our Burngreave Road office,” said Chief Executive Paul Common.

“We are incredibly proud of this innovative partnership with SACMHA and we see this particular project as being about staying true to our roots and our original values.

“This is an approach that has retained much needed supported housing in the city and this has worked as we have exceeded our original target of 50 per cent occupancy in the first year in just the first three months.

“Arches was originally formed to improve the lives of people in North East Sheffield and we are proud to be able to continue to deliver much needed homes and services in the areas that our founders cared so much about. Breinburg Court takes us back to those origins and ideals.

“It is our objective that Arches Housing treat people as individuals and we try to be fully informed about the diverse needs of all our residents.

“Across both Sheffield, Rotherham and Derbyshire we have an extremely diverse customer base and that is something we are incredibly proud of.”

David Bussue, Service Director from SACMHA said: ’Like Arches Housing Association, SACMHA has longevity in the city and has been supporting the African Caribbean community since 1988 with a wide range of services including counselling, direct support, community outreach, and group work.

“In the last four years SACMHA has partnered with colleagues from the Health & Social Care Foundation Trust and both Sheffield’s universities to focus on both the physical and mental health inequalities that impact the African Caribbean community.

“This partnership with Arches Housing is such an important development for SACMHA and we hope that we will be able to collaborate together as two organisations committed to the Pitsmoor area and the underserved communities of the city.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Highfield .