We believe that it is key that any development that is proposed helps
address social, economic and environmental challenges that may be faced within a community.
It is clear that there is a need for good quality Extra Care and
Respite/Dementia accommodation across the UK, plus the need to make some
of this available under affordable housing schemes.
As occupancy of any development is undertaken, this releases much needed
housing stock into the local community which directly reduces the need
for new housing, much of which might be constructed on Green Belt land.
During tough economic times, many households look to the security of
their jobs and for those unfortunate enough to be unemployed, the
introduction of new developments such as those led by Priory Asset
Management, can only be seen as a positive contribution to the local
employment pool and economy.
During both the construction phases and
later upon completion when the facilities will be operational, there
will be numerous employment opportunities for those people in the
surrounding areas. There will also be the necessary supply chain for the
running of the developments which will help ensure local businesses
benefit from the new sites as well. PAM seeks to ensure that a minimum
of 40% of the workforce employed in the construction of
their developments are regionally based through the appointment of
their main contractor.
The location of any Priory Asset Management development is carefully selected, often in semi-rural environments.
The developments undertaken by PAM are often on sites which have not been utilised or even made available to the general public for their own use.
As part of any new development, there is a strategy to create new public green spaces, which will enhance the areas that they are located. Such benefits will include:-
- New paths and cycle ways
- The creation of new and sympathetic landscapes which enhance the areas in which they are located
- Improved views of the sites in which the developments are located
- Enhancing and promoting the diversity and ecology of wildlife
- The installation of networks of swales and attenuation lakes to contribute to sustainable drainage schemes
- The planting of hundreds of new trees resulting in a contribution to government carbon gas retention targets both current and future
Amongst the various goals that Priory Asset Management has, a key target
is supporting environmentally friendly developments and looking to a
sustainable future.
Whilst we recognise our portfolio will not single handily change the
world, we believe that if we adopt initiatives within a community,
others will follow and in time, change will take place.
Where possible developments will include initiatives such as:-
- The use of environmentally friendly building techniques
- The use of air source heat pumps to reduce the amount of electricity required to produce heating and hot water
- Installation of Photovoltaic panels to further reduce carbon emissions
- Not using traditional power plants but new, energy efficient CHP (Combined Heat and Power) units which use their own by product, heat, which is normally wasted, to give overall efficiency of fuel use to more than 75% compared to around 30-50% from conventional electricity generation.
- The supply of a number of electric pool cars to reduce problems associated with parking and traffic movements and is environmentally friendly