Great Places recently welcomed Afzal Khan, MP for Manchester Rusholme, to visit a specialist housing scheme and the site of a new supported living accommodation in his constituency.
Accompanied by Great Places’ Chief Executive Alison Dean and Executive Director of Growth Helen Spencer, Mr Khan toured the Docherty Project in Rusholme and went to view progress at its Upper Chorlton Road site, which is being refurbished and extended to provide safe and secure supported housing.
At the Docherty Project, Mr Khan met the team from the housing-related support service commissioned by Manchester City Council and run by Great Places. He spoke with customers at the scheme, which offers short-term accommodation for adults experiencing homelessness and alcohol dependency. The specialist harm-reduction service supports 35 customers and includes a core house with seven bedsits and seven flats, offering 24/7 support.
The tour concluded at Upper Chorlton Road, where Mr Khan viewed the £2.6 million refurbishment project. The existing villa, refurbished in partnership with contractors J Greenwood, will retain its original front while being reconfigured to include six one-bed self-contained apartments and staff areas. A new rear extension will house an additional six one-bed apartments. Part-funded by the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP), the site will provide secure housing for single homeless females and is expected to be completed by March 2025. Great Places will manage the scheme and provide on-site support.
Commenting on the visit, Afzal Khan said:
Great Places’ efforts to tackle the housing crisis and provide tailored support for vulnerable individuals are commendable. It is vital we continue to prioritise affordable housing and community investment to create opportunities and transform lives.”
Alison Dean, Chief Executive at Great Places, added:
We we’re delighted to have welcomed Afzal Khan to visit our housing schemes and see first-hand the impact of our work in his constituency.
Our mission is to provide safe, affordable, and supportive housing that meets the needs of the community. We are currently delivering over 1,600 new homes across Greater Manchester, including supported housing projects that are vital in offering essential support and housing for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.
We remain committed to investing in the areas we operate in and working in partnership to create opportunities and transform lives.”
