£11m Watchfactory in Prescot comprises 70 homes, including a range of one and two-bedroom apartments and 16 custom built bungalows, available for affordable rent and shared ownership sale
A former Victorian watch factory in Merseyside has been transformed into a residential assisted care scheme mainly for people aged 55 and over and is now massively over-subscribed.
The £11m Watchfactory in Prescot comprises 70 homes, including a range of one and two-bedroom apartments and 16 custom built bungalows, available for affordable rent and shared ownership sale.
Owner and manager Knowsley Housing Trust says all the properties for sale were sold off plan and the project is now proving so popular there’s now an 18-month waiting list to join, after more than 700 people applied for apartments.
Homes England put £3m towards the scheme which offers 24-hour emergency assistance, an on-site care team, a communal lounge area, an on-site bistro serving a healthy and nutritious menu, a hair salon and a range of group activities such as exercise classes, outings and coffee mornings.
The Grade II-listed, former watch factory is steeped in history. It was originally built in 1889 for the Lancashire Watch Company and was the largest factory of its kind in the UK.
The watch company went out of business in 1910 and the factory became a makeshift barracks in 1915, accommodating hundreds of local soldiers during the First World War. Subsequently, it has fallen into disrepair and remained empty for decades before Knowsley Housing Trust started work on site, in February 2015.
Katie Lenden, project manager – new build development and regeneration at Knowsley Housing Trust, said: “Demand for The Watchfactory has been beyond expectation. We knew it would be popular because of its uniquely architectural design and the blend of old and new.
“We worked with design of the original factory and created two new wings to extend the scheme. The original features, which include beams, columns, brick work and doors were replicated in the new extension and we used original materials, which were approved by the heritage planning officer.”
Joyce Oliver, one of the first residents to move into the Watchfactory on 1 June, said: “I love living here, it’s better than the Hilton. The building is alive with history and the accommodation is so comfortable and modern.”