Residents of Laurence Lowry Court in Pendlebury are settling into their new plush surroundings after the entire scheme underwent a makeover, following a comprehensive improvement programme by the West Salford-based housing association.

Cyril, 90, has a long association with the area. He has lived at Laurence Lowry Court for 47 years and as a child grew up in a property that was eventually demolished to make way for the sheltered housing scheme. He was joined at the launch event by City West customer Linda Howells.

Contractor Emmanuel Whittaker was selected to carry out the work. This involved improvements in individual properties to bring them up to the Decent Homes Standard and included fitting new bathrooms with level access showers, new heating systems, electrical upgrades, new front doors and double glazed windows.

Communal areas and the exterior to the building were refurbished and extended including the lounge, lift, corridors, communal kitchen, gardens as well as the installation of new furniture and soft furnishings. 

All this work was carried out in one go to minimise any disruption to customers and provide modern, comfortable surroundings to improve the quality of life for residents.                                                    

Before the work got underway, residents were fully consulted over designs and improvement plans for the scheme and were given the option of choosing furniture types and colour schemes for the communal areas.

Following the ribbon cutting customers enjoyed a 1940s theme tea party. Cyril said: "I enjoyed the whole day, the entertainment was great and it was such an honour being asked to help open the new communal facilities. The work that has been done has given a real lift to everybody who lives here."

Laurence Lowry Court is the first of four sheltered housing schemes been refurbished and owned by City West to finish. This £2.9 million project will also see the transformation of Streetgate and Pennington Close in Little Hulton, and The Meadows in Cadishead.

Colette McKune, Director of Asset Management at City West Housing Trust, said: “We are delighted that work has finished at Laurence Lowry Court and to see the residents settled into their modernised homes and enjoying the new communal facilities. We have been working very closely with Emmanuel Whittaker to ensure the minimum of disruption.

“This is just the first phase of our improvement programme for our sheltered housing schemes; very soon all of our older residents will be able to take advantage of living in a newly refurbished property. The work is part of our Investment Programme in which we are investing £235 million to our 14,600 properties.”