The sun shone in Redhill, Surrey at the official opening of Mitchell Place, a development of eight low-carbon one-bedroom flats for homeless single parents and young people with support needs.
Transform Housing & Support welcomed 30 guests to the event in Redhill where the guest of honour was Transform’s former Chief Executive Paul Mitchell, who was in charge for nearly half of the housing association’s 50-year history.
The event marked a significant milestone for Transform, showcasing its commitment to innovative housing solutions for homeless single parents and young people in need of support.
The building was manufactured in modular form at Rollalong’s factory in Dorset and transported to Surrey to be installed on site.
The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Rollalong, project managers Playle and Partners and one of the development’s key funders, Surrey County Council.
Guests were given an exclusive tour of two of the completed flats which are designed to meet the specific needs of their residents. A young mother, proudly holding her five-month-old son, shared her gratitude with visitors as she guided them through her new home which she moved into just a few weeks ago. “This place has truly changed my life,” she said.
Our Project Director Iain Steele spoke at the event and highlighted the innovative nature of the project’s construction. “Mitchell Place is a modular build, meaning the units were constructed offsite and then brought in by crane and assembled,” he explained.
“This sustainable, cutting-edge method is extremely energy efficient, providing long-term benefits – including reduced costs – for clients.”
Transform Chief Executive Lawrence Santcross thanked the contractors and said how thrilled the organisation was to have been able to develop Mitchell Place. “We are dedicated to meeting the needs of the communities we serve by providing affordable social housing and tailored support,” he said.
“These eight meticulously designed flats, along with the support we’re offering, will empower clients both today, and in the future, to lead more independent and fulfilling lives.”
The event also showcased women in construction, and architect Hayley Poynter Fenning emphasised the significance of Mitchell Place’s all-women project team. “Gender equality in construction remains a challenge, with only 1% of skilled tradespeople and 16% of senior positions being held by women,” she noted. “This project demonstrates the power of female leadership in driving positive change.”
Paul Mitchell said: “Mitchell Place is the realisation of a dream that began in 1998 with the creation of Chaucer Court, the sister building to this one, so I am delighted that Transform, Rollalong and Playle and Partners have been able to bring this vision to life using such sustainable, modern construction methods.
“I know Mitchell Place will be hugely appreciated by all who live here and call it home.”
Pictured are (left to right) Sarah Young, Pelin Erginsoy and Hayley Poynter Fenning from Playle & Partners, Iain Steele from Rollalong and Suzanne Edwards from Transform Housing.
The modules which will make up Mitchell Court in Redhill, Surrey have been installed on the site in just three days.
We’re delivering eight low-carbon one-bedroom flats for supported housing association Transform Housing & Support.
The development will be known as Mitchell Court after Transform’s former Chief Executive Paul Mitchell, who was in charge for nearly half of its 50-year history.
It will provide housing for homeless single parents and young people with support needs.
“One of the advantages of modular offsite construction is that it’s considerably faster to build a modular building than it is to build using traditional methods,” said Rollalong Sales Manager Nigel Allen.
“The installation took just three days and we are now working on internal finishing and fit-out with brickwork and roofing progressing well. Spending less time on site means a faster turnaround for the client and less disruption for local residents.”
Transform Chair Mark Austen said he was impressed by the new building’s sustainable, low-carbon credentials which include an EPC A rating, all-electric flats, an innovative fire suppression misting system which limits water damage, and solar panels installed on the roof.
“We are breaking new ground as this is Transform’s first ever modular construction with these flats being built offsite and then lifted in,” he said.
Transform provides specialist housing and support services for more than 1,800 homeless and vulnerable people each year in Surrey and surrounding areas.
Mitchell Court is expected to be complete later this year and clients should be moving in by the autumn.
29th May 2020
A former defence medical rehabilitation centre in Surrey featuring four major buildings constructed by Rollalong has been converted into an NHS hospital to treat patients recovering from coronavirus.
NHS Seacole Centre near Leatherhead, the first UK hospital dedicated to helping coronavirus patients recover from the long-term effects of the illness, has accepted accepted its first patients this week.
The Jubilee Rehabilitation Complex was the last phase completed at the former DMRC Headley Court in Surrey by Rollalong in 2012. The new facility was officially opened that year by TRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.
Headley Court was mothballed in 2018 but has now re-opened as NHS Seacole Centre, with space for up to 300 beds if they are needed.
It was opened on 4th May by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock and is named after pioneering nurse Mary Seacole who set up the British Hotel behind the front lines of the Crimean War to help sick and injured soldiers recover.
By honouring the British-Jamaican nurse, the hospital’s name also serves as a tribute to BAME (black and minority ethnic) NHS staff who are working on the frontline of the UK’s fight against the virus.
NHS Seacole Centre is a community hospital and the first of its kind in the UK, designed to provide space for patients to recover after coronavirus treatment, as well as those who’ve been in hospital for routine treatment.
It allows patients to be discharged from acute hospitals to free up space and is run by Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The £11m Jubilee Rehabilitation Complex built by Rollalong featured a 48-bed ward accommodation building, therapy block and workshop. It was constructed in nine months to provide clinical and rehabilitation facilities for amputees, mostly from the military, with single, double or triple prosthetics.
“Despite the exacting timeframe, we were able to rise to the challenge thanks to our quality-driven approach and our strong existing relationship with the MoD,” said Rollalong Managing Director Steve Chivers.
“Although we haven’t been involved in the conversion of Headley Court to an NHS COVID-19 hospital, it’s gratifying for us to see our buildings put to important new uses. It just shows how adaptable and flexible modular buildings can be.”