Jewish Care reveals £22million Redbridge redevelopment plans

Jewish Care has finally revealed its £22 million plans for the redevelopment of Redbridge Jewish Community Centre at Sinclair House, with dozens of new one-and two-bed flats soon to be considered by the borough.

The planning application, to be submitted next month, will ask for dozens of independent living apartments alongside the synagogue, a sports hall and a connecting auditorium capable of seating 600 people.

The apartments, which would be available to rent at market rate, are not designed for those who require intensive round-the-clock care, but would be suited for older independent people with limited support needs, bosses say.

Jewish Care plans to borrow £14 million of the £22 million needed, and to ask donors for £4 million. The organisation has already raised £2 million, and plans to raise another £2 million through the sale of land.

Building work is not expected to begin until 2018 at the earliest, and the charity is still exploring whether to relocate its services out of the centre when work starts, or opt for a phased programme instead, meaning that services could still be delivered on-site, albeit on a smaller scale.

A Jewish Care spokeswoman said: “We will be submitting a planning application next month. We hope to secure planning by the end of this year. Only once we have secured planning can we work on fundraising and detailed plans for this project.”