Friends and family recently joined residents and staff from Choice Housing to mark the 35th anniversary of Elm Court, a sheltered living scheme located in the heart of Belfast.
Opened in 1994 by then MP Chris Patten, Elm Court is comprised of 48 self- contained apartments. This includes; 25 single bedroom apartments, 13 double bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment. There are also an additional nine apartments within the scheme reserved for vulnerable adults of varying ages. The scheme has been a vital social housing provision for Belfast, supporting people to live safely and independently in their own home.
Over the last year, the development has also seen an £800,000 upgrade to its facilities in full consultation with its current tenants. The Choice team met with all tenants of Elm Court in October 2017 to discuss the refurbishment of the scheme. Tenants also met the contractor to discuss options for their new kitchens and bathrooms and as a group chose the flooring and colour schemes for their communal area.
Michael McDonnell, Group Chief Executive Choice said:
“We are pleased to reach this significant milestone for Elm Court which has been a mainstay in Belfast for the last 35 years. The location has ensured that our tenants can live full independent lives close to so many amenities while maintaining a level of security they need.
“For every scheme we develop Choice Housing is commit to continued engagement and consultation with our tenants to ensure their voice is heard on any decisions made that impact their homes and lives. We were pleased to be able to invest in refurbishing Elm Court, the biggest positive in this process was how much our tenants participated, working alongside our Asset Tenant Liaison Officer Lorna Brown we ensured all tenants had a say in the upgrade of their homes”.
Situated on Elm Street in Belfast, Elm Court is a Sheltered Living Scheme convenient to local shops, restaurants, a post office, pharmacies and doctor’s surgeries in Donegall Pass, Botanic Avenue and the Dublin Road. The refurbishment of the scheme aimed at continuing to improve community cohesion with the tenants, while contributing to their subjective well-being by providing positive and pleasing surroundings.
The cost of the refurbishment of Elm Court was circa £800k with main contactor Piperhill Construction taking the lead on the project, which took 10 months in total. The popular development is one of the longest-established sheltered living schemes owned by Choice, which has more than 35 years’ experience of providing housing and support services for older people.
