St Ann’s a beacon for Community Led Approaches to Supported Housing

The St. Ann’s Redevelopment Trust (StART), the community-land trust in Haringey North London, recently hosted a joint event with the London Region of the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (Housing LIN) exploring StART’s community-led vision for supported housing on the St Ann’s hospital site.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) bought the site from Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust earlier this year. The GLA and StART have agreed to work together to make the project a beacon for future developments on public sector land.

The Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN) is a network bringing together housing, health and social care professionals in England to further innovation in housing solutions for an ageing population.

StART’s vision is to develop a community that supports all its vulnerable members. New housing and community resources will integrate with health and social care services. Shared green spaces will enable health services to provide greater community-based rehabilitation for patients. StART want to take a long term approach to where the youngest residents get the best possible start in life and those who are growing older get access to all the resources they need. StART also want to provide housing for local health and social care staff.

The event brought a wide range of expertise and community members to Chestnuts Community Centre, opposite the St Ann’s site in Haringey to discuss ambitions for the sector, best practice and the challenges of integrating housing, care and support. Partnerships were identified as the way to realise the vision, working with the existing community so that they can see how their input develops local services. The promise of new technology was recognised, not as a substitute for good face-to-face social care, but as a tool to enhance and build relationships.

David King of StART said:
“Bringing together community members , specialist housing experts, and health services helped us put more detail into our vision, it’s really given us a fuller picture of what is possible at the St Ann’s site and where the next steps we need to take working together.”

Jeremy Porteus, Director of the Housing Learning and Improvement Network said:
“We are delighted to partner StART and to showcase how the determination of the local Haringey residents is forging a community-led approach to improve the range of future supported housing choices.”

NOTES

1. The St Ann’s Redevelopment Trust (StART) is a campaign for the development of a community land trust of truly affordable housing at St Ann’s Hospital, Haringey, North London. www.startharingey.co.uk/
2. StART are formally working with the Mayor of London, who purchased the site from the NHS in 2018 www.startharingey.co.uk/blog/start-signsmemorandum-of-understanding...
3. The Housing Learning and Improvement Network is the professional network of housing, health and social care professionals in England and Wales working to exemplify innovative housing solutions for an ageing population www.housinglin.org.uk/
4. Copies of presentations given at the joint event will be available at: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/Events/ArchivedEvents/