A development which offers an exciting new housing and care option for older people in Guernsey was official opened on Tuesday 3 July by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey, Vice Admiral Sir Fabian Malbon KBE .
Rosaire Court and Gardens in St Peter Port, Guernsey, is the first extra care scheme on the Island and already provides 85 one and two-bedroomed flats for sale or for rent.
The purpose-built scheme, developed in partnership between Housing 21, the Housing Department, the Health and Social Services Department, and Rosaire Sheltered Housing Limited provides high-quality independent living, with 24-hour care provided to meet residents’ changing needs over time.
The development, joint-funded by the States of Guernsey and Rosaire Sheltered Housing, is Housing 21’s first scheme outside the UK where it already manages 14,000 homes.
Housing 21 Chief Executive, Melinda Phillips, said:
“Rosaire is unique in being the first extra care scheme in Guernsey. It gives older people on the Island the opportunity to live in homes designed to meet their needs with the security of round-the-clock on-site care staff. By working in partnership with the States of Guernsey and Rosaire Sheltered Housing, we have all built something which will be an asset to the Island and that will bring benefits to the local community. We are pleased to have brought our expertise in older peoples’ housing with care to Guernsey and to have supported the development of this unique community.”
Rosaire Court & Gardens has been developed to create a vibrant, mixed community of rented and private sale options. 35 flats are for outright sale or by means of an affordable lifetime lease; a further 50 flats are for rent. The majority of the homes are already occupied by delighted new residents.
As well as enjoying purpose-built accommodation, residents have been provided with an on-site café, restaurant, guest suites and a hairdressing salon. These facilities are also open to the general public, enhancing links with the local community.
Health and Social Services Minister, Deputy Peter Roffey, said:
“We are committed to ensuring that older people in Guernsey have more choices about how their social support and care needs are met. We think we can do this best by working together with Housing, with the private sector and with the not for profit sector – as we have done at Rosaire – to achieve the best possible living environments and care options for our older population. It’s all about providing older people with choice – enabling independence and well-being and ensuring that they live lives that are fully engaged and where they can continue to contribute to our wider community.”
Housing Deputy Minister, Deputy Mark Dorey, added:
“It’s great to see a project that started so long ago become reality at Rosaire. We know that the population is ageing and that people are living longer, and we need to ensure that we develop new forms of housing and care to meet the needs of our ageing population – especially as these needs are changing.
We think it’s important to ensure that housing for older people is designed so that they can remain independent for as long as possible. That’s why it’s so exciting to see a project like Rosaire come to fruition, as designing this housing specifically for older people has been spoken about for so long, but now it’s up and running.
This is more than a housing project though, it’s a community, and the amenities on site - like the restaurant and hairdresser - provide a resource for other older people in the surrounding community.
All in all, Rosaire is a symbol of our commitment to do our best for the Island’s older people.”
Charles McHugh, a Director of Rosaire Sheltered Housing Limited, said:
"The important outcome is to leave behind a built environment that changes lives. The private sector contribution at Rosaire has been to help to fund and deliver an innovative housing project. Rosaire demonstrates the success of this kind of partnership and the "value added" that the private sector can bring to the delivery of public sector visions."
Information on current extra care properties for sale or rent at Rosaire can be found on the Rosaire Homes website. http://www.rosairehomes.gg/
