Newmarket housing project set to provide 18 units of young people’s accomodation
Racing Welfare is preparing to invest over £550,000 into the renovation of MacDonald Buchanan House which, once completed, will provide 18 units of high-quality accommodation for young people working in racing in Newmarket.
Work on the site is due to begin in August and will involve full refurbishment of all 18 units owned and managed by Racing Homes, Racing Welfare’s housing arm. The project is being undertaken to help address a need for safe, affordable accommodation for young people aged 16 – 24 years old who are starting out in their careers in racing in Newmarket.
In line with our housing strategy, the project will seek to provide accommodation that helps to bridge the gap between racing school and independent living, providing a supportive environment where young people have the best opportunity to flourish in both their professional and personal lives. The rent for each of the flats will be at a subsidised rate in order to assist with affordability, which is a problem in the area.
The site in Howard De Walden Way currently houses eight tenants of a mixture of working and retired age. In order for full works to commence on the project, all those presently living in the property have been given two months’ notice to leave their accommodation. Support from the charity’s team of welfare officers has been offered to help all of the current tenants through this process and in finding alternative housing.
In accordance with Racing Homes’ Lettings Policy, set in place to ensure the fairness and transparency of the charity’s lettings procedures, any tenant who is eligible to be housed in MacDonald Buchanan House will be able to reapply for one of the units upon completion of the project. A copy of the Lettings Policy can be downloaded here.
Racing Homes owns and manages 18 units within MacDonald Buchanan House. The remainder of the flats in the building are the concern of Orbit Housing and will not be affected by the charity’s renovation plans.