Woodbrooke used for affordable housing
‘Due to the housing crisis and cost-of-living crisis, there are lots more key workers and those on lower wages looking for affordable homes.'
The Bournville Village Trust (BVT) is offering Woodbrooke accommodation as affordable housing, which could include it being used by key workers. The move is part of wider plans to ensure the building continues to serve the community.
The former building of the Quaker study centre, Woodbrooke went into the care of BVT following a decision by trustees to close the building amid falling visitor numbers and high building maintenance costs.
The new plans involve opening some of Woodbrooke’s existing accommodation – including twenty-one ensuite rooms – under a guardianship model. According to BVT, the model ‘provides security by occupation, taking unused buildings and transforming them into homes for working people looking for short term accommodation. These include people like key workers (for example. nurses and teachers), students and self-employed tradespeople’.
BVT has already made spaces available in the building for local businesses, health services and community groups to use.
Victoria Burnett-Rogers, commercial property manager at BVT, said: ‘We are really pleased to be working with VPS Guardians to open some accommodation at Woodbrooke.
‘With two large hospitals and two universities on Woodbrooke’s doorstep, this accommodation could play a vital role in housing key workers and other working professionals.
‘Due to the housing crisis and cost-of-living crisis, there are lots more key workers and those on lower wages looking for affordable homes, and guardianship is an excellent way of providing them. It will also make sure that Woodbrooke continues to serve the local community.’
Joelle Nixon, business development manager at VPS Guardians, said: ‘VPS Guardians will keep the site secure and reside on a flexible, temporary basis which is ideal for key workers. Generating social value in the area is something both VPS Guardians and BVT share a passion for, as we enable local people to benefit from this kind of affordable accommodation at a time when living costs are at an all-time high and we are navigating a housing crisis.’
BVT said: ‘Woodbrooke needs millions of pounds of investment to bring it up to an environmentally sustainable and accessible standard, and BVT’s current priority is to invest in improving its existing homes and buildings. This includes spending £7.3m this year on its socially rented homes.’
