New sheltered housing apartments to be built on John Aird House site

Shut-down care home to be demolished for new flats

Plans have been announced to build 43 sheltered housing apartments on the site of John Aird House, the respite care and residential care home for elderly people that was shut earlier this year.

Housing association Housing 21 will build 32 1 bedroom sheltered apartments and 12 two bedroom apartments on the site, which will also contain a medical facility, social areas for residents and areas available for use by outside voluntary organisations. Hounslow Council have donated the land to the housing association as part of the financing scheme.

The closure of the 1970-built care home was mired in controversy. Solicitor Yvonne Hossack tried to prevent the closure in court, citing evidence that moving people from care homes elsewhere in the country had dramatically reduced their health and, in some cases, contributed to their deaths. However her attempts were unsuccessful and the last residents moved out early in the year.

Brentford councillor Patrick Edwards said "Whilst we all regretted that John Aird House closed, we had to admit that the facilities there were no longer adequate for frail elderly people, needing privacy and dignity. However, all the residents successfully moved to new accommodation locally. The planned new facility will offer better facilities for local residents - and we will be meeting with the Council's partner, Housing 21, to ensure that local residents are involved in the design of the new scheme.

Plans for the new building - called Brentford Lodge on the planning application - are now with Hounslow Council. Councillors expect construction to begin in early 2005, with the first residents moving into the apartment in 2006.

29 Nov 2004

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