Fort Augustus housing project wins award

A Fort Augustus pilot scheme that acts as a ‘stepping stone’ between independent living and moving into a care home has won a top prize.

The Highland Council scheme involving the Telford Centre Care Home picked up the top prize for Housing and Regeneration at the 2021 SURF Regeneration awards.

The Telford Centre housing development pilots a new type of house – a flexible, adapted property designed to support residents with increasing care needs to stay at home and live independently for longer, whilst being close enough to the care home to seek support.

People can then either ‘step up’ and become a resident of the home if their needs increase, or ‘step down’, back to a mainstream house if their level of need decreases.

The judging panel visited the development as the tenants were moving in to their new homes to take a look at the new houses and discuss the model with the design team.

Officers from the council’s housing development team attended the award ceremony to collect their prize.

Council leader Councillor Margaret Davidson, said: ‘This is a huge accolade and reflects all the hard work of everyone involved from the conception to helping people move into their new homes.

The council’s winning certificate for the Fort Augustus development.

‘Development of adapted houses is not new to the council, but this award-winning pilot takes the fresh step of building the units in the grounds of the Telford Centre Care Home to provide the missing link between living independently and entering a formal care setting.

‘Due to this successful approach, I am sure we will see more, similar housing development across other Highland communities.’

The council worked closely with the NHS and with the local community company, which kindly provided some of the land needed to enlarge the care home garden sufficiently for the six units that were built.

Councillor Davidson added: ‘This national recognition really is well deserved.

‘The project has been a splendid example of how partnership working can bring tangible benefits to communities.

‘Most importantly, I am sure the new residents will be very happy spending their first Christmas in their new homes.’

The SURF Awards, run in partnership with the Scottish Government, has been running since 1998.

It provides an opportunity for regeneration projects of all sizes to demonstrate value to funders and partners, support team-building and develop a national profile.

SURF Award winners also receive additional showcase opportunities through SURF activities throughout the following year.