Troutbeck Housing

The £10M award winning scheme, developed by Blackpool Council supported with grant funding from Homes England, offers a total of 75 contemporary designed, affordable, high quality social housing rented homes to families, individuals and includes accessible living units.

Troutbeck Crescent housing development is a unique high-quality scheme situated on a key gateway into Blackpool. The client brief was therefore to create an iconic design befitting the location. Objectives included delivering a sustainable development in the long term, promoting a strong community, helping existing residents remain in the area.

Part of the architect’s brief was to provide a design that did not look like traditional social housing. A bold and striking appearance has been delivered giving its own local identity, providing attractive indoor and public outdoor environments with landscaped areas and walkways.

Troutbeck provides a mix of one, two and three-bed homes, accessible units and improved public open space. Delivery required the relocation of existing tenants and the demolition of six low rise deck-access blocks which were unpopular and no longer meeting local housing need. Each unit is available for social rent, affording residents improved and higher quality accommodation compared to the previous bedsits that were demolished to make way for this development.

The health and wellbeing of residents has been considered in the design with spacious, modern housing and private amenity space with back gardens and individual front doors – giving a sense of ownership. Inside, properties take advantage of large open spaces and windows fill each unit with soft, natural light.

The project was undertaken with sustainability in mind ensuring running costs are low by using a timber frame design with high levels of insulation and a sustainable drainage system. In tandem with this, links to the nearby areas are encouraged by excellent public transport links and integration with the local area.

One of the other features of the housing scheme alongside general family and individual living has been to provide adapted and accessible homes designed to enable independent living for residents with mobility and health needs.