Worth Court demolition

THE DEMOLITION of Worth Court over the past two weeks marks the end of a housing project that has provided happy homes for hundreds of elderly people over the past four decades. The complex of 38 flatlets off Eastgate is being pulled down because the accommodation no longer meets the changing standards required by central government.

The lack of investment became apparent two years ago when new guidelines required local authority landlords to meet its Decent Homes Standard by 2010 which would mean refitting sub-standard kitchens and bathrooms and other refurbishments. This would have involved high expenditure for Worth Court and so the present owners, South Kesteven District Council, decided on demolition and to build a new complex on the site with ownership passing to a housing association although all of the existing tenants have been suitably re-housed.

Worth Court opened in 1965, named after Charles Worth (1825-95), founder of the famous Paris fashion house who was born in Bourne, and built over a period of three years on land that previously contained some of the oldest cottages in the Eastgate area which were cleared before building work began. The intention was to provide self-contained units in batches of four for single old people living alone, either those who were unmarried or had lost a partner, while at the same time retaining their independence. The development originally contained 16 units and was built by Bourne Urban District Council at a cost of £30,000, but was extended over the next two years until the total number of flatlets reached 38 at a final cost of around £70,000.

The system was similar to that already being adopted by other local authorities in Britain to provide accommodation for elderly people living alone in council or private large three and four bedroom properties which would then be released into the mainstream housing market. Each unit contained a bed sitting room, kitchen and toilet with a two-bedroom flat for a warden who could be contacted at any time by an alarm bell system in case of emergencies. There was also a guest bedroom set aside for anyone who wished to visit residents.

Heating and hot water were provided from a central solid fuel boiler unit and there was a communal room for social gatherings fitted with a television set and an adjoining kitchen to cater for functions which was also available for use by tenants who could have their own TV sets linked to a central aerial. A laundry room was equipped with communal washing and drying machines while each flatlet had its own refrigerator, gas or electric cooker, and noise and thermal insulation had been incorporated in walls and ceilings. Facilities were provided outside for each tenant to store cycles and other equipment and the whole area was surrounded by lawns and landscaped with trees and shrubs.

There was some resistance to the idea when the council began to offer tenancies to local people and so Councillor Jack Burchnell, chairman of the housing committee, organised two open days on Saturday 12th and Saturday 19th December 1964 with councillors and officers on hand to explain to visitors exactly what they could expect when they moved in. Two of the flatlets had been finished completely, decorated and furnished by local firms, to enable visitors see what they would look like. The cost of furnishing to a comfortable standard was estimated at £150 for each.

“There is some misapprehension in the town over the purpose of this development”, he said. “This is not an old people’s home. There is a mistaken idea that those who move in will lose their independence but anyone living at Worth Court will be at liberty to run perfectly normal lives. There is no timetable of hours when they come and go and retire but there are facilities to meet other residents if they feel lonely.

“Each tenant will have their own key and will be completely in charge of their own unit and no one else will be allowed access without invitation. We have had acceptances for tenancies but some have been withdrawn because they have heard there will be communal feeding and this is not the case. When potential tenants come and see for themselves they will be pleasantly surprised. In fact, living conditions are so good that several council members are thinking of putting their names down for a flatlet.”

The Earl of Ancaster was asked to perform the official opening on 30th January 1965 but he was unable to attend because of a previous engagement in London and so Councillor J K Mason, chairman of BUDC, officiated instead. Despite the original misapprehension, the flatlets were soon fully occupied and remained so for many years but in 1974, administration passed to South Kesteven District Council.

Thirty years later, the council had decided on demolition but it was a difficult task to persuade the remaining 27 elderly and vulnerable tenants to leave the place they had learned to love and call home. There were many protests from tenants and their relatives and so the council embarked on a scheme of gentle persuasion to get them out in much the same way as BUDC had done to get them in when they were built. The result was that the first tenant moved out in February 2005 and the last vacated her flat on 10th December 2006.

Steve Cullington, the council's care service manager, said: “The new development has come about because we cannot meet the needs of a growing and increasingly frail group of people. Some of our sheltered housing is not well suited to residents with problems of mobility and the ability to plan and design a new development to meet these specific requirements, with input from older people and their representatives, will significantly enhance the provision.”

The new £4 million development is due for completion by the spring of 2008 and will consist of 34 two-bedroom flats compared to 38 bedsits in the old property. Additional communal facilities will include a restaurant, laundry and hairdresser, as well as storage and charging areas for mobility scooters. The aim of the project is to help elderly people maintain their independence for as long as they can with appropriate levels of care and support and is the result of a partnership between South Kesteven District Council and Lincoln-based Lace Housing Association. SKDC has contributed the land, worth £350,000, and the Housing Corporation is providing £2.6 million towards the cost of the project but the council will have the right to nominate new tenants from the housing waiting list.

NOTE: This article was published by The Local newspaper on Friday 27th April 2007.