PDW appointed to provide development consultancy services to WPH.

With the AHP bidding process well underway, we have been appointed by Wirral Partnership Homes to provide project management services in respect of several current development initiatives.  The appointment is initially short term, and we are very much enjoying getting to know the team at WPH.

Just 5 months ago we started working with Halton Housing Trust to deliver an extra care housing scheme in Widnes.  We are delighted to confirm that a high quality 47 unit scheme has now achieved a start on site this month.  The scheme will provide much needed housing and care services for older people in the Widnes area.  HHT have now extended our appointment to provide ongoing project management support to deliver this scheme. The timescales have been very demanding, but the client and consultant team have all worked extremely well together to get to this point. Grant funding has been awarded from both HCA and Halton Borough Council and Cruden Construction have been awarded the works contract following a competitive tender process.

We are delighted to be part of the winning bid team to provide an assessment of the supply and condition of older persons’ and supported housing across Cheshire West and Chester.  We have joined Arc4 for this important research project and our role will be focusing on the sustainability of the current supply of existing accommodation. We very much look forward to working with the team at Arc4 and the Officers at CWAC. We will start this work before the end of November 2010 with a completion scheduled for February 2011.

David has worked in housing and regeneration for over 20 years. Since graduating, David has worked in a variety of development and project management roles with Local Authorities, Developers and Housing Associations, before establishing a consultancy business in 1998.

Initially focusing on RSL development activity, David’s work over recent years has involved a wide range of housing and development consultancy roles, including a particular emphasis on older persons and extra care housing initiatives.  David specialises in development agency services, option appraisal and investment strategy and has gained a reputation for clear objective advice leading to sensible and deliverable investment strategies.

David established Project Development Workshop Ltd (PDW) in 1999, and has personally lead housing consultancy and development agency roles for RSL’s and Local Authorities throughout the UK. Clients range from small voluntary organisations with single scheme issues, to regional and national organisations requiring review, appraisal or project management of large portfolios of housing stock.

The range of housing and development services David through PDW is extensive.  We would be happy to arrange a presentation of experience on request.

Our Managing Director, David Bethell, will be delivering a workshop at the forthcoming Extra Care Housing Conference in Birmingham, organised by HQN.  David’s workshop will cover the Option Appraisal process for sheltered housing and extra care, along with financial appraisal and investment strategy issues.  Further conference details can be obtained from www.hqnetwork.co.uk.  The conference is aimed at  people working in supported housing, housing for older people, strategic housing, asset management and development.

We are delighted to have produced the winning bid submission on behalf of Halton Housing Trustfor a new build, mixed tenure, extra care housing scheme in Widnes. Despite strong competition from other local RSL’s, the HHT bid has been awarded well over £2m of grant funding, (a combination of HCA and Local Authority grant). We are also delighted to have now been commissioned to provide the Client Project Manager role to ensure the successful delivery of this project on behalf of HHT.

The scheme will provide much needed high quality housing and care services for older people in Widnes and we very much look forward to working closely with HHT, their customers and partners.

Our extensive Option Appraisal exercise with Monmouthshire Housing Association is now nearing completion.  A detailed appraisal of 11 Schemes has now been completed and a final phase review of the remaning older person’s designated stock in Monmouthshire is well under way, although we look forward to the final few visits to this beautiful part of South Wales.  Our final report will be presented in November 2010 after 6 months of intensive work.

We are pleased to have been awarded two new contracts over the last week:

Hanover Housing Group have asked us to manage a small development project near Chester; to add to the extension works to communal space at their Sheltered Housing Scheme in Runcorn.

Halton Housing Trust have commissioned us to support their bidding process for an extra care housing scheme in Halton. We will be working with Pozzoni Architects for this bidding process.

After a fairly frantic period of tidying, shredding and reorganising we have completed our office move to the White House – a serviced office environment in Warrington; facilities are excellent and we have settled in well.  We look forward to welcoming any of our clients, contacts or visitors to our new office.

We are delighted to confirm that Heald Farm Court in Newton-le-Willows has been awarded a prestigious National Housing Design Award.  Having been involved in this Scheme from the initial funding bid stage through to work on site, it is great to see the scheme recognised in this way.  Congratulations to D K Architects in particular for this Award!

Details of the Scheme and a link to the Design Award details can be found on our website under ‘Extra Care Housing’.