Work has begun on a new £7.5m partnership project to bring 21 new supported living homes to South Tyneside, accommodation which will support residents with learning disabilities, autism and complex care needs to live more independently. 

The homes will be split across two sites, with 11 homes, compromising of 5 bungalows and a block of six one and two-bed flats, being built on the former Nolan Hall on Concorde Way Jarrow and 10 bungalows on the former Father James Welsh Day Centre site on Hedgeley Road in Hebburn. 

The site at Hebburn will also include a six-bedroom staff bungalow and the Jarrow site a four-bed staff house, with care providers on site 24-hours a day. 

Head of supported housing at Karbon Homes, Jon McDonald, said:

“It’s great to be partnering with South Tyneside Council to bring these two new supported living schemes to fruition.  

We’re passionate about creating strong and sustainable places that help empower people with complex care and support needs to live independently, and through this partnership we’re able to deliver quality homes that help meet the demand for specialist housing in the borough.” 

The project is a partnership between northern housing association Karbon Homes and South Tyneside Council, with local contractor Able Construction delivering construction works across both sites. 

The schemes form part of the Council’s wider Adult Social Care Accommodation Strategy aimed at supporting people who may need care and support to live independently in the community.    

Deputy leader of South Tyneside Council, Cllr Audrey Huntley, said:

“It’s great to see work get underway on these schemes. Residents have told us that they would prefer to live independently in the community for as long as possible, rather than going into residential care and it is this kind of affordable, specialist accommodation that will enable people to do that. 

“These developments will allow our younger adults to live in their local community with care and support, helping us deliver on our ambition for people to stay healthy and well throughout their lives.” 

The delivery of the two schemes is part-funded by Homes England, through Karbon Homes’ Strategic Partnership with the Government’s housing delivery agency.  

The strategic partnership has provided Karbon with £165m in funding to deliver 2,200 new affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire over the next few years, 10% of which has been dedicated to the development of new homes for people requiring additional support needs.