£2.7m supported living housing development completed

A new £2.7m supported living housing development has opened in Skelmersdale to support vulnerable young people and adults and to help combat homelessness.

The Birchwood West Lancs Foyer will provide short-stay homes for people with complex needs who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness.

Residents will also benefit from professional support with health and wellbeing, alongside help to develop skills so they can get back into work and life skills to assist them when moving on to more permanent homes.

The ground floor of the Foyer will also provide a new headquarters for The Birchwood Centre, and will be used to provide support, training, and outreach work for residents as well as the wider community.

The building also features PV solar panels on the roof, to ensure the building would be low maintenance, energy efficient and sustainable.

Located in Birch Green, the new three storey facility has been built on a former carpark, with the land made available by West Lancashire Borough Council. Although planning had been previously approved, the site had remained unused for several years and the design required redefining to ensure the new foyer building was fit for purpose.

The project was delivered by BTP Architects, and Calico Homes, and was partially funded by Homes England. Burnley-based Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction (part of the Calico Group) was the lead contractor on the project and completed the build ahead of schedule and within budget.