Preferred Homes has announced major progress in its affordable Extra Care Housing expansion, with new site acquisitions and planning gains across four southern England locations: Crawley, Exeter, Bicester and Camborne.
The latest moves add momentum to a growing development pipeline that now spans more than a dozen sites, including projects already in planning and construction.
The company’s model is aimed at older people and others with care needs who cannot access suitable homes in the private rental market. Its schemes combine affordable rented homes with on-site care and support, helping residents live independently while staying connected to their communities.
In Crawley, Preferred Homes has acquired the former St Catherine’s hospice site and submitted plans for 83 affordable apartments. The scheme is notable because it will be the provider’s first development for residents of all ages with care needs. Working with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council, the project is intended to meet local demand for Extra Care Housing across age groups, with homes allocated through a Nominations Agreement with the adult social care commissioning authority.
In Bicester, the company has secured planning approval for an 82-apartment Extra Care Housing scheme at Kingsmere, a regenerating area near the town centre. Construction is expected to begin in the coming months. Preferred Homes says its wider ambition is to deliver up to 50 developments over the next seven years, focusing on places with the greatest need for affordable housing and care provision.
The provider already operates two open schemes in Leeds and Telford, while a third in Hucknall, Nottingham is due to open this year. Its developments include shared facilities such as cafés, gardens, parking, and assistive technologies, and are designed to HAPPI principles.
“With a number of our developments progressing across the country, Preferred Homes is quickly becoming a leading provider of affordable extra care housing,” said chief executive Findlay MacAlpine.
Preferred Homes says each typical scheme can save local authorities and the NHS around £800,000 a year, and around £20 million over 25 years, while improving care outcomes for residents. Backed by Nuveen, TIAA and Homes England, the company is positioning itself as a long-term contributor to the UK’s affordable care housing market.
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