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Vulnerable adults in Somerset aided by £2.5m housing plan

Google Maps The former Kingsway Guest HouseGoogle Maps
The former Kingsway Guest House will be converted to accommodate up to seven individuals

A £2.5million project will provide homes in Somerset for adults with autism or learning disabilities.

Somerset County Council has been working with housing providers and NHS England to provide the three new supported living sites.

Councillors unanimously approved plans for sites at Bishop's Lydeard, Minehead and Yeovil last week.

They also pledged that similar schemes will be considered in the future.

Councillor Mandy Chilcott, cabinet member for resources, said: "I'm really pleased that these facilities are dotted around the county.

"It's really important for people to be supported near their families.

"I'm sure moving forward that we'll be looking to do more than this."

Somerset County Council Councillor Mandy ChilcottSomerset County Council
Councillor Mandy Chilcott said she was "really pleased" the plans had been approved

The homes aim to provide adults with complex needs on-site care while retaining a degree of independence, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The Bishop's Lydeard project will see seven one and two-bedroom bungalows built by firm LiveWest off Taunton Road for affordable rents.

It is hoped they will be available by June.

In Minehead, up to seven individuals will be accommodated within the former Kingsway Guest House after Purpose Social Homes Ltd was granted planning permission last year.

And in Yeovil, a five-bed bungalow scheme will be provided on The Avenue for people "stepping down" from a hospital stay, with leases of up to two years at affordable rent levels being offered before they move on to more permanent accommodation.

While the precise location of this scheme is unclear, the county council has indicated a care provider will be appointed shortly, with the facility expected to be open by May 2023.

The new facilities will be run on five-year contracts by care providers, with the three contracts being worth a combined total of £2,569,960.

John Sutton/Geograph Somerset County HallJohn Sutton/Geograph
The plans were approved by the county at a meeting in Taunton

Councillor David Huxtable, cabinet member for adult social care, said moving to the new unitary authority in April 2023 would enable more schemes like this to be delivered.

He said: "We have a lack of suitable supported allocation for people with learning difficulties and autism.

"We do look forward to the unitary authority so we can have a more joined-up system, which will help with the planning going through."

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