A SOMERSET council has given its backing to three new schemes designed to provide a home for adults living with autism or learning disabilities.

Somerset County Council has been working with housing providers and NHS England to provide three new supported living sites, where adults with complex needs can receive on-site care while retaining a degree of independence.

The council has identified sites in Bishop’s Lydeard, Minehead and Yeovil where accommodation can be provided in the near future, under contracts worth more than £2.5million.

Councillors have also pledged that further schemes along these lines will be considered in the years ahead.

In Bishop’s Lydeard, seven one- and two-bedroom bungalows will be provided off Taunton Road at affordable rent levels – located between the village’s centre and the new Moorland Gate development currently being constructed.

LiveWest was granted permission to build the bungalows (as part of a wider development dubbed “The Paddocks”) by Somerset West and Taunton Council’s planning committee in January 2020, with all dwellings expected to be available from June 2022.

In Minehead, up to seven individuals will be accommodated within the former Kingsway Guest House on the corner of King George Road and Ponsford Road.

Somerset County Gazette: New Assisted Living Bungalows Were Included Within Plans For 20 Homes At The Paddocks In Bishop\'s Lydeard. CREDIT: Barton Willmore Partnership. Free to use for all BBC wire partners.

The facility will be managed on the council’s behalf by Poole-based firm Purpose Social Homes Ltd., which was awarded planning permission to convert the former hotel by the district council in June 2021.

The facility will be targeted at people “with complex needs at exempt housing benefit rent levels”, and is likely to be fully operational by May.

In Yeovil, a five-bed bungalow scheme will be provided on The Avenue for people “stepping down” from a hospital stay, with leases of up to two years at affordable rent levels being offered before they move on to more permanent accommodation.

While the precise location of this scheme is unclear, the county council has indicated a care provider will be appointed shortly, with the facility expected to be open by May 2023.

The new facilities will be run on five-year contracts by care providers, with the three contracts being worth a combined total of £2,569,960.

The council’s cabinet gave its unanimous backing to the proposals when it met in Taunton on Wednesday morning (March 16).

Councillor David Huxtable, cabinet member for adult social care, said that moving to the new unitary authority in April 2023 would enable more schemes like this to be delivered.

He said: “We have a lack of suitable supported allocation for people with learning difficulties and autism.

“We do look forward to the unitary authority so we can have a more joined-up system, which will help with the planning going through.”

Councillor Mandy Chilcott, cabinet member for resources, added: “I’m really pleased that these facilities are dotted around the county. It’s really important for people to be supported near their families.

“I’m sure moving forward that we’ll be looking to do more than this.”