The international property organisation are working to provide affordable properties for disadvantaged children and their families in Chester.
Yesterday, Grosvenor, the multi-national company whose activities span urban property, food and agtech, rural estate management and support for philanthropic initiatives, launched their new social enterprise known as Grosvenor Hart Homes.
Initiated by the Duke of Westminster, the scheme was created with an aim to improving outcomes for vulnerable children, young people, and their families by addressing three foundational blocks that help disadvantaged families achieve better outcomes.
The foundational blocks include creating a provision of high-quality affordable and secure homes with support services tailored to providing residents with routes into employment and mental health and wellbeing support.
As of yesterday the first set of refurbished homes were completed in Chester and families are currently in the process of moving in. As well as providing affordable homes, Grosvenor claimed yesterday also marked the completion of a new community facility in the city centre.
Now that the new homes have been opened in Chester, Grosvenor claims the plan now is to make significant investments over the next 10 years, to provide more than 750 homes alongside tailored intervention support – focusing on Chester and the North West, as well as central London.
Commenting on the announcement, The Duke of Westminster said: ‘I am delighted to see Grosvenor create a new social enterprise and have high hopes that its innovative model will help to empower families and young people to better access life opportunities.
‘We passionately believe that the provision of high-quality, safe, secure, and affordable homes must be paired with outcome-driven support services.
‘Our unique model stresses the need to tailor and meticulously plan, prioritise, and co-ordinate services through a trusted and knowledgeable family support professional working alongside families to help them achieve their goals.
‘I am also particularly pleased to launch this initiative in Chester, my hometown, where I hope that the innovative approaches we are developing and the partnership model we have created with public sector organisations can grow into effective solutions replicable elsewhere.’
Helen Keenan, Chief Executive, Grosvenor Hart Homes, added: ‘Many vulnerable children, young people, and their families are caught in a spiral of temporary and often unfit accommodation, facing what can be a maze of poorly coordinated support services.
‘From a user perspective, support services can be difficult to understand and engage with, especially for those who are most vulnerable or for people with language barriers.
‘Instead, our approach will look to establish, from the outset, a strong relationship between the people we are trying to help and a dedicated Grosvenor family support professional. Unlocking the complexities of statutory support services and integrating these with additional help we will provide directly, their role will be to address and coordinate individual needs simultaneously.’
Image: Iza Gawrych
Major change announced for estate regeneration with affordable homes funding
Plans submitted to convert a derelict Manchester building into affordable homes