A brand new space for residents at Longfield House
Aston Group are currently working on three sheltered blocks within the Borough of Waltham Forest. Renovating the kitchens and bathrooms of the individual flats providing interiors that are dignified, personal and enabling.
Aston Group are currently working on three sheltered blocks within the Borough of Waltham Forest. Renovating the kitchens and bathrooms of the individual flats providing interiors that are dignified, personal and enabling. These projects showcase the work we do and the timescales we work to. The experience we have gained has given us a better understanding of how best to work with residents on an individual basis whilst meeting their needs and aspirations with the ongoing refurbishment work.
Longfield House was started mid January with the initial site set up, the first stage was the installation of all the pipe work in the corridors with new heating pipe work and a new fire system.
We held consultation meetings with the residents at Longfield House to inform them of the process and involve them in choices. We complete the communal room first before starting in their flats, this makes a lovely place for residents to relax and use the communal space while flats are being refurbished.
Communal kitchen space
The process is very tightly run, we open a flat on a Monday and close a flat on a Friday, this process works well with continuing communication between the residents and the on site RLO (Resident Liaison Officer).
At the end of March we held an event to open the new communal space to the residents. They all seemed very pleased with lots of smiling faces around the room. The electrical foreman attended the event and said it was great to see so many resident’s happy with the work. We’ve had good feedback from Waltham Forest Council around the project, our process and the resident engagement.
We spoke to the resident’s on the day, it was great opportunity to get their feedback with most of them talking about the 'WOW' factor of the space. The wall unit got a lot of attention too with comments like, “the unit is out of this world it’s great workmanship, can they have one in their flats?”.
Residents enjoying the communal space
“We demonstrated the new kitchen with the integrated oven door, which drops down and slides under the cooker. They were all very excited and happy to use it. As an RLO (Resident Liaison Officer) on site, it gives true meaning to the daily communication with each resident, from supporting them to choose their paint colour to packing up their flat and seeing their flat for the first time. This adds great value to the Aston Group process that we undertake at the sheltered blocks. This relationship between the residents and ourselves makes our role a lot easier, we are the first point of contact for any issues and I feel it works well.
