Swallowtail Place, Acle in Norfolk: Sharing a vision for shared ownership and Independent Community Living

This Housing LIN Case Study (167), written by Stephen Maraj, Sales Manager at Saffron Housing Trust, describes Swallowtail Place, a 58-apartment, mixed-tenure Independent Community Living Plus scheme that combats social loneliness and isolation by promoting a sense of community. 

Located in the Norfolk town of Acle and developed and operated by Saffron Housing Trust, Swallowtail Place has 41 affordable rental apartments and 17 shared ownership apartments for people over 55 years of age. The care at Swallowtail Place is provided by Norfolk-based NorseCare and takes a person-centered approach by engaging with residents and their families to match residents with a Care and Support Worker to suit their needs and personality.

Following the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People Inquiry SO-HAPPI report, which set out a wide range of recommendations on designing, funding, commissioning and managing shared housing for older people, the main aims of the scheme were:

• to cater for everybody looking to make a positive choice about where to live in later life;
• to assist those over 55 combat social loneliness and isolation, by promoting a sense of community;
• and for the design to closely align to the Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) principles which help to make older persons housing an appealing alternative to a traditional home.

Finally, when it came to the legal sales documents and with an understanding that there is limited awareness of Older Persons Shared Ownership (OPSO), they organised additional training for their estate agents in tandem with clear and honest discussions with purchasers and their families.