Care home company wants to build Inverness flats to help attract staff
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AN Inverness care home company wants to build 24 new flats to attract good quality staff and help beat the key worker shortage in the sector.
Parklands Developments admits its planning application to Highland Council is largely driven by a national difficulty in hiring key workers in the industry.
Another major factor is the “distinct lack” in Inverness of quality property for affordable rents, says the company.
If consent is given, Parklands will build a block of 12 two-bed flats alongside 12 two-bed cottage flats for “much-needed staff accommodation in the local area”.
The site at Milton of Leys is beside where Parklands is currently building a 59-bed care home and 11 cottages for their later-living village.
Consultants GH Johnston, in a supporting statement for Parklands, said: “Good quality accommodation at affordable rents for both staff and indeed the wider care and key worker sector is often overlooked through current provision.
“Our clients are looking to address their specific needs as part of the care home and later-living village in which they have invested considerable time, money and energy.
“A key component of making this a successful facility for the community it serves is ensuring they have the professional and qualified staff to run, manage and service it over the coming years.
“Ultimately the lack of suitable/affordable accommodation in the area makes attracting these employees a challenge and one which is not necessarily met by current affordable housing procurement methods and allocations.”
The statement added: “Our client’s proposal is not to create market housing but rather ensure that they are able to offer quality accommodation to staff associated with the care home.
“Accommodation will also be required for those professional staff coming in to run and manage the recently approved 11 homes soon to commence construction for later-life living beside the care home.
“Our clients’ care facility is likely to employ approximately 20-25 staff and they will need to be able to provide suitable accommodation options for each of the positions.”
The statement added: “In proposing staff accommodation, Parklands are ensuring a holistic approach is being taken to ensure the right staff are attracted to and given access to the housing opportunities they require.”
Parklands said it is happy to enter into any legal agreement as necessary to regulate the use of the accommodation for care workers only.
If any spare capacity exists then the accommodation could be opened to care workers in the wider community who “provide an invaluable service and often at lower salaries, finding it difficult to obtain good quality housing for their needs.
“Some staff may share and lessen the financial burden associated with private rented accommodation across the city.”
