Hewmar House is open and ready to take young residents as from February.
On Monday, colleagues and friends from Aqua Construction, Gloucester City Homes, Gloucester City Council and other partners met at Hewmar House to take a look at the fantastic transformation ahead of the first wave of referred residents coming on board, now that the GCH Homeless team is in place.
In partnership with Gloucester City Homes, Aqua Construction was asked to source a building that was capable of conversion into a dwelling to support homeless young people at risk of rough sleeping and staff. With help from the team at Ash Chartered Surveyors, Aqua secured the vacant, virtually derelict Hewmar House, just off London Road, in Gloucester.A former office building, Gloucester City Council assisted with determining the change of use planning application to repurpose Hewmar House into an 8-bedroom supported housing development for young people.
Working closely with Quattro Architects and Gloucester Building Control on the technical details of the works, the redevelopment has created homes and opportunities for young, homeless people.
Hewmar House will accommodate eight young people aged 18-25, providing a nurturing environment to help them transition from crisis to stability. The service will focus on empowering these young people to gain independence by offering tailored support plans that address their unique needs.
Following investment from Homes England, and in partnership with Gloucester City Council, Gloucester City Homes secured £1.34 million in funding from the Single Homeless Accommodation Programme (SHAP).
The conversion from a virtually derelict property, unoccupied for over five years, presented a sorry state. Water ingress through the roof, internal rotting and damage to the structures, settlement, and the absence of damp courses contributed to extensive wet and dry rot throughout. Much of the property and land was covered in ivy.
Aqua Construction started on site in late March 2024 with site clearance, a stripping of the interior of the building and removal of the roof structure and covering.
Works that followed involved underpinning the external walls plus structural repairs, new roof structure and a slated roof, new external wall insulation and render. The extensive internal fit-out involved double-glazed windows, new gas central heating, rewiring with fire protection, solar panels, metal stud drylining plasterwork, and decoration throughout. The redesign included a communal kitchen and lounge area, with staff office and accommodation on the ground floor and on the first floor 8 ensuite bedrooms.
Externally the car park was partially resurfaced, the outside area levelled, patio and lawns created, and the boundary brick walls repaired around the garden with a repurposed secure cycle shed.
The building was completed on schedule and budget in November 2024 and handed over to the Housing Association in December.
Jason Wasley, managing director at Aqua Construction said: “The build was challenging; however, we are pleased with the outcome and are proud to have been involved with this important Gloucester housing project in partnership with GCH.”
Natalie Thelwell, director of Housing Operations at GCH said: “We are very excited about our new supported housing scheme for young people in Gloucester, which is a first for GCH. Our dedicated specialist support workers will provide one-to-one support, offering a lifeline to vulnerable young people at risk of homelessness. We will be welcoming in our first customers soon to provide not only accommodation but also essential life skills, mental health support, and pathways to education, training, and employment.”
Gloucester City Council worked closely with GCH to secure the £1.34 million from the government’s Single Homeless Accommodation Programme (SHAP) to address gaps in specialised supported accommodation for those at risk of sleeping rough and with complex needs.
Councillor Luke Shervey, Cabinet member for Housing at Gloucester City Council, said: “We’re delighted to see this project now open and able to provide much-needed support to local young people who sometimes can fall through the gaps. Homelessness is a tragedy at any age, particularly for young people, so they must get this tailored help early on so they can get their lives back on track and look forward to a better future.
- Jon McGinty MD Gloucester City Council; Luke Shervey, cabinet member for housing; Michelle Wheatley GCC housing team leader; Natalie Thelwell, GCH director
- Derek Gibbs, director at Aqua Construction; Dan Lutman, GCH development manager; Jason Wasley, MD at Aqua Construction
- Michael Hill, GCH Executive director; Debbie Smith, Homes England; Natalie Thelwell, GCH director
