History of the Project

Due to financial constraints, East Sussex Social Services have stated that they will no longer provide day care for people with a learning disability who are judged to have a mild / moderate / severe disability. Social Services will now only focus on those people who meet the higher eligibility criteria banding, who have a profound or challenging disability.

The JPK Project was formed in February 2001 as we discovered the need for supported living accommodation in the East Sussex area for people with a severe learning disability. Research showed at that time that there were at least 140 people aged between 25 and 50 still living at home and no suitable sheltered accommodation vacancies for the future, for when parents/carers became too old to care or died. In addition it was felt essential that parents had the opportunity to assist with this enormous transition into independent living before a crisis occurred. We also believe that everyone needs a purpose to get up in the morning and lead a meaningful and useful life and therefore the JPK Project aims to provide practical training and work experience on site so that those resident and others, can live a worthwhile and fulfilling existence. We also believe that parents having cared all their lives deserve some modicum of retirement.

The Project has a Trust Deed and 7 Voluntary Trustees who are committed to realising the JPK Project as a Residential Centre for people with a severe learning disability.In addition 100 members who support the project throughout the year.

Fundraising and searching for a suitable site has commenced from the inception of the project.

In August 2003 The JPK Project became a Registered Charity, which we believed to be important, to further our charitable aims and objectives and to gain the support from the community at large.

We have a legally binding Trust Deed and have 7 Trustees who are fully committed to realising The JPK Project at the earliest opportunity, a further 25 regular Volunteers and 190 Members/Friends.

In the ten years that we have been operational, we have been searching for a suitable site and this has proven to be more difficult than we first envisaged. We had hoped for a piece of land within the Wealden Draft Plan but land proved to be too costly and every other site we located we were unable to obtain planning approval. In addition ESCC specified that they would not be able to support our project in a rural setting.

In early 2006 we located an ideal site within the conurbation of Eastbourne which was ripe for sensitive development called Ocklynge Chalk Pit, owned by Sussex Downs College (SDC). Our offer was accepted, we completed a planning application and received Planning Approval in March 2009 from EBC.

However, regretfully, since Planning Consent, SDC have been unable to obtain Vacant Possession on their land from the Leaseholders East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and it is looking unlikely that this will change in the near future and therefore we are unable to purchase the site and make any further progress. It has therefore been necessary to search for an alternative.

Quite by chance we have learnt of another site in Eastbourne and early negotiations have commenced and our offer of £600,000 has been accepted, Subject to Contract and a satisfactory Planning Consent.

We have formed a Business/Finance Sub Committee of professional people who have financial and business acumen and who believe in the aims and objectives and ethos of the JPK.
We have a completed Business Plan which addresses all issues relating to our history of 32 years in the field of the learning disabled, our experience in fundraising, addressing gaps and shortfalls in services, provision and delivery of services, which include residential accommodation, day time services and management.

The Feasibility Study had been completed with it’s full capital cost predictions but in the light of the changes of site we shall have to undertake another Study when further progress has been made. It is still clear, however, that a vast amount of money will have to be raised to purchase the land and complete the building works necessary, which will be a hard task to accomplish in this economic climate, but one we are fully committed to achieve, as the need is great for the security of this group of people and peace of mind for parents and carers. The Project, however, can be broken down into smaller projects, which will be easier to fundraise and establish. The projected Revenue Budget Costs on the previous site had been undertaken which showed that once the Project is fully operational it will be sustainable and we anticipate that this will remain the same for the new site.

The Project will have to have its full Capital Costs funded and two years running costs to allow for the gradual introduction of the tenants and students. All the proposed client group accessing The Project will receive their statutory benefits, additional housing benefit, which can be increased to the bare minimum wage standards, through Income Support and therefore we are not proposing to request from ESCC any revenue funding.

The project will consist of 16 en-suite studio apartments to allow for privacy and independence, with communal sitting/dining rooms, kitchen and activity rooms, which will give access for social interaction and comradeship. It is also proposed to develop 8 more independent flats on the site, enabling the tenants access to the community facilities and staff when required. The Community Centre which is a completely separate building will provide practical training and work experience and will consist of an inter communicating Tea Room, Commercial Kitchen and Bakery, an Education Centre for continued learning and a Charity Shop. This will be open to the public and we shall be encouraging volunteers to take an active role, all of these will allow for interaction with the community. Private space in the grounds will be provided for the tenants. All participants will have equal rights within the JPK.