Foy House temporary accommodation project named as a finalist in leading industry awards

Thanet District Council’s Foy House development has been selected as a finalist in the ‘Best Social Housing Initiative’ of the MJ Achievement Awards 2023, announced today (Thursday 30 March). The industry-leading awards recognise outstanding achievements by local authorities. 

Foy House is situated on Margate High Street and provides eight self-contained 1 and 2 bedroom flats for individuals and families with urgent housing needs, who are being supported by the council. These immediate needs can occur for a wide variety of reasons, such as fleeing domestic abuse, marital breakdown, losing a job or being unable to pay rent. This project provides a safe and supported home until new accommodation can be found. 

The ambitious refurbishment project was completed in January 2023 and contributed significantly to the regeneration of Margate town centre by bringing a large, long-term empty property back into use.

Bob Porter, Acting Director of Place for Thanet District Council, said: “We’re extremely proud of Foy House. It is an ambitious project, but the hard work of everyone involved has paid off. 

“We have increased the amount of quality council-owned accommodation that we can provide for the people in our community who need it most, and brought an empty building back into use. This makes a huge difference to the visual appeal of the area. 

“I’d like to express our thanks to our partners Wilson & Partners LLP (Canterbury), GPM2 Design Ltd and Modus Construction Consultants Ltd. We couldn’t have achieved this without their hard work.

“I’m so pleased that our project has been recognised by our peers, awarding us a place in the finals of these awards.”

The winning submission will be announced on Friday 23 June 2023 at a ceremony to take place in London. You can read more about the awards and finalists in all categories on the MJ website. 

You can read more about Foy House on our website.