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Margaret Blackwood Housing Association has released computer-generated pictures of its housing development at Cala Sona Court in Netherton, Wishaw, which show how it will look once the first phase of its redevelopment is completed in January 2008. The cost of this first phase of redevelopment will be £3,100,000, of which £900,000 will be self-funded by the Association and £2,200,000 will be met by HAG (Housing Association Grant) funded through Communities Scotland. The images reveal not only new homes purpose-designed around the needs of disabled people but also show the housing set in a fully accessible external environment. Centred around an old mansion house, Cala Sona Court was founded in 1958 as a community housing refugees from Eastern Europe. It was taken over by Margaret Blackwood Housing Association in the mid-1970s. The existing buildings were converted into housing suitable for disabled people and the development was extended shortly afterwards with the building of new flats beside the mansion house. By the turn of the century, all the properties were amongst the Association’s oldest and greatly in need of redevelopment. The Association has moved housing design for disabled people forward a long way in the last 30 years. As with the community at large, the aspirations of disabled people are growing and their horizons widening. Modern accessible design must reflect this. After extensive consultation about the nature of the redevelopment and the way in which it would be handled, the tenants of the oldest properties, with the exception of one who preferred to live with relatives for the duration of the project, moved into the “new” block on the north-west of the site whilst the south-east half was cleared. The old mansion house, lodge house and original cottages were demolished, as were the dilapidated greenhouses that had served the former market garden and nursery. Construction of 24 new two-bedroom flats is now progressing well and the tenants should be moving into their new homes shortly after Christmas. In all, there will be 17 flats designed around the needs of wheelchair users and seven around the needs of people with limited mobility or sensory impairments. Chief executive Peter Mountford-Smith, told us: “This is a flagship project for us and is the product of an extensive consultation process between our tenants, our partners and ourselves. The result will be one of the most innovative, fully accessible housing developments in Scotland. “The site itself is in a beautiful situation and has wonderful views out over the Clyde valley. The new housing has been designed using local sustainable materials that are sympathetic to the location and will be very thermally efficient to minimise power and fuel consumption. A palette of materials, including locally sourced larch cladding, has been chosen to unite the project and harmonise with the rural setting. “The sloping site has been used to provide ground floor access to over half the units, making them as accessible as possible. The different housing blocks have been arranged to foster a sense of community, and an emphasis has been placed on natural light and passive solar sunspaces to ensure the long term sustainability of the development. Special attention has been paid to the communal close in the 10-unit flat block to provide a heart to the building. “Once tenants have moved into their new homes, the block of flats on the north-west part of the site will be demolished and the second phase of the redevelopment programme will start.” Determined to retain the spirit of the original Cala Sona community and the vision and tenacity of founder, Muriel Gofton, Margaret Blackwood Housing Association has received funding support from North Lanarkshire Council towards the creation of a piece of community art. The Association is already working with the tenants and with Glasgow-based arts project organisation Project Ability to take this forward if further funding can be found. For further information, contact Paul Leighton, Publicity & Communication Officer, telephone: 0131 317 0117, email PaulL@mbha.org.uk at Margaret Blackwood Housing Association. 19th June 2007
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