Blackwood Housing and Care create new homes for people to live as independently as possible

Construction has begun on the development of new homes in Greenock which will enable older people and people with disabilities to live as independently as possible.

Blackwood Housing and Care is transforming MacLehose Court on Eldon Road into 22 new accessible modern, self-contained flats which will support people with a range of mobility issues.

Working with contractors GHI Ltd, Blackwood aims to make the new homes available to customers later this year. In partnership with the Scottish Government and Inverclyde Council, this move will boost the scale of accessible housing in Inverclyde.

Simon Fitzpatrick, development and commercial director at Blackwood, said: “We are delighted construction has now started on-site to deliver 22 new, accessible homes to Greenock.

“We’ve seen a rise in demand for more accessible homes, so we’re really excited to see the redevelopment of MacLehose Court begin as it will add to the supply of these homes for customers.

“We look forward to seeing the finished homes, and to welcoming the new customers later this year.”

MacLehose Court operated as a care home until 2020 when the charity took the decision to create a range of much-needed accessible accommodation to promote independent living.

Blackwood has a history of creating homes that people of all ages and mobility levels can enjoy. Its most recent development is Helenvale in Glasgow, a collection of 24 two-bedroom homes which are highly accessible and connected.

Blackwood Homes and Care was founded in 1972 by Dr Margaret Blackwood (1924-1994), a campaigner for the rights and independence of disabled people.

The first home opened in Dundee in 1976, and later Dr Blackwood was awarded an MBE for her dedication to improving the lives of disabled people and bringing awareness to a lack of adapted homes. She was deeply committed to people being able to live independent lives and, following her work to improve their financial situation, set her sights on providing housing that was suitably designed for disabled people.

The charity aims to help people live their life to the full, by providing services which support them to live independently.

Blackwood works in 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities and has created over 1500 homes in Scotland.

For more information, please visit: https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk