A formerly abandoned Victorian school building in Sunderland has found a new lease of life following its transformation into much-needed homes for vulnerable adults.
The work to restore and extend Washington Old School on Albert Place is part of Sunderland City Council’s programme to deliver new homes across the city.
It took contractor Brims 12 months to complete the works, which delivers 15 new specialist apartments.
The building – originally known as Biddick School – was built in 1893. It closed in 1993, after which it temporarily housed the Washington Church of Christ before being left vacant and falling into disrepair.
The school had stood empty for 20 years, but it was ideally placed for a new lease of life. The building neighbours a cluster of new bungalows the council developed in 2021 to boost the number of homes for older people, as well as those with disabilities in the Washington area.
Councillor Kevin Johnston, dynamic city cabinet member, said the restored and repurposed school “sits beautifully alongside” its neighbouring homes.
“It’s brilliant to see a building that had fallen into disuse and was a blight on the community now back to its best and ready to welcome new residents,” he added.
“So often, empty properties like this become a magnet for problems, so to be able to proactively tackle this one, and create much-needed new housing in the process, is just brilliant.”
The work to transform the school building involved a range of significant modifications. These included the addition of a new mezzanine floor in some of the apartments to make the most of the existing space, light and roof height, and all apartments benefit from a high-quality specification developed with the end user in mind.
Four new apartments extend and complement the existing building, and renewable energy has been used throughout the development, with the addition of solar photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps to reduce energy bills for residents and reduce carbon emissions.
The development also boasts a landscaped courtyard for all the occupants to enjoy, including seating designed by a local artist.
The housing will be allocated by the council’s Adult Social Care team, which will identify those whose needs can be best met by the homes in the property. Residents are expected to start moving in this month.
According to the council, the 15 apartments are designed for medium to long-term accommodation and to provide a “vital sense of ownership” for the residents.
The scheme also includes overnight accommodation for support staff, along with office and meeting space, and can also be adapted to house older and vulnerable residents on a more permanent basis, to provide flexibility depending on the needs of its residents.
Chris Meadowcroft, contracts manager at Brims, said it was a “challenging but rewarding” project.
He added: “It is always a bonus to the Brims team and our subcontractors that the hard work put in to deliver the project will benefit some of those most at need within the local community.”
Read next: Homes for old lace: Work begins on Emh brownfield scheme
Are you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
