Hope Street August 2021 Update

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Work continues at pace and the build activity is starting to ramp up on site. The Hope Street site has now been fully cleared, secured and work on the foundations and groundworks started in July. You can watch our time-lapse video of the work here.

We are currently tendering the other works packages, including brickwork, roofing, and MEP (Mechanical Electrical and Plumbing), and expect to have appointed contractors for these next stages of development by the end of August 2021.

We have secured planning permission to reconfigure the house next door into four self-contained flats, which will provide space for our very first move on accommodation and the large outdoor space also provides the footprint on which to develop the kitchen garden, creche and the children’s play area.

Finding Balance

The creation of the kitchen garden next door will allow us to provide a distinct separation between the practical, working and learning aspects of a kitchen garden and the central courtyard of the main site garden for tranquillity in nature. This is a key element of the trauma-informed, calming environment of Hope Street.

Social Finance

We are delighted to report that, after a lengthy and extensive due diligence process, SASC Community Investment Fund have approved a loan against the development and purchase of the site next door to Hope Street. They have also confirmed that they will be willing to fund future move-on accommodation housing purchases which is fantastic news!

Hope Street Operations

Partnering with Advance, we won the Probation contract (Women’s lot) for Hampshire ensuring Hope Street is a key part of the local provision, supporting women coming out of custody and into the community. We started the delivery of this contract at the end of June, and our, recently recruited, Complex Needs and Housing Community Keyworker will start supporting women from mid-July. We will also welcome our Head of Wellbeing and Community to the team in August to work alongside our Community Director and support the mobilisation of Hope Street.