Central and Cecil Housing Trust (C&C) has bought 85 homes in the London Borough of Wandsworth from national housing association Home Group, in the Trust’s first significant acquisition since merging with Aster Group at the start of 2022.
The acquisition sees C&C expand into the Wandsworth area, growing its presence in London as a provider of specialist accommodation for supported living and over-55s care.
The 85 homes, with 126 residents, consist of 49 sheltered living apartments, 23 terrace houses and five flats for social and affordable rent and assured shorthold tenancy, alongside seven shared ownership houses.
Sam Scharf, director of housing and customer services at C&C said: “This is a really positive move for C&C and the customers in Wandsworth. We have a significant and well-established London footprint having been providing homes and services for nearly 100 years.
“This year we also launched an ambitious programme to invest £2.8m in a stock condition programme across all Aster properties, which will include this stock, backed up by investments of £580m to carry out improvements through to 2030. Through this work, customers will really benefit from our focus on ensuring the safety, warmth and security of our buildings and be involved in shaping the services we provide.”
Residents, some of which moved in when the first of the homes were built in 1986, have been consulted by both Home Group and C&C following the announcement of an intention to purchase in November.
C&C is a not-for-profit housing association that owns and manages around 2,000 homes in London. It became part of the 36,000-home Aster Group in January 2022. The acquisition follows the recent launch of C&C’s newest development – a state-of-the-art 170-apartment care home, Grace House, in St John’s Wood, in August.