Bungalow gets major makeover to become wheelchair-friendly family home
Friday 14 July, 2023: A one-bedroom bungalow in West Drayton has been converted into a fully accessible four-bedroom home through Hillingdon Council's homes extension programme.
The garage has been converted to create two further bedrooms, a new kitchen has been fitted, additional storage cupboards added, along with new windows and external doors. The conversion cost £176,000 to complete.
The homes extension project, started in May 2022, to address a shortage in the number of three and four-bedroom properties in the council's portfolio and to meet the demand from larger families or for specialist homes.
Since the project got underway seven properties have now been finished, with a further three nearing completion and 10 more in the pipeline.
Most of the homes converted have been semi-detached and terraced houses which were extended by creating rear extensions or using a loft conversion where a rear extension isn't feasible. This was the first home in the scheme to use a bungalow and convert the garage space.
Conversions have been taking place throughout the borough and are made possible when an existing council home becomes vacant.
Cllr Jonathan Bianco, Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport, said: "Demand for better homes puts great pressure on the council to build more, larger homes, but our homes extension programme is a far more cost-effective way of bolstering our housing stock with larger, or more specialised properties.
"All residents have the right to live in a suitable home and this programme lessens the demand for larger homes while also freeing-up the properties that become vacant when residents move into these new homes."
The homes extensions programme is part the council's commitment to creating safe and strong communities where families can grow and thrive.