27 March 2010
Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for West Worcestershire has this week contacted the Worcestershire Mental Health Trust about the rundown state of the Sheffield House building on Court Road in Malvern. Against protestations from Malvern mental health service users, Sheffield House - which offered supported short-term housing for people with mental health problems - was closed in 2008. At the time of the closure, the Trust claimed that the building would be sold to a social landlord for transitional housing. Harriett Baldwin wrote to protest the closure at the time. This week she was contacted by a number of local residents who are angry that the building is sitting empty and is falling into disrepair. She and local Cllr Joe Smith visited the site. Harriett Baldwin said, “I am pleased to learn from the Mental Health Trust that several housing associations have recently viewed the building and will be presenting their ideas for a new transitional housing scheme to the Trust in April. I hope development begins with a sense of urgency, as this accommodation has now been empty for almost two years.” Photo: Harriett Baldwin and Joe Smith at Sheffield House, Court Road, Malvern