Lloyds has provided a £400,000 finance package to Stoke-on-Trent-based Nakota Property Management for three accessible, energy-efficient bungalows on a former garage site in Audley, Staffordshire. The homes combine facilities for 24-hour care with solar panels, electric vehicle charging points and premium windows. Nakota Property Management, a specialist developer and contractor for the social care sector, has completed the project with a housing provider specialising in social care. The company is now planning 11 one-bedroom apartments on a brownfield site in Crewe, alongside projects in Stoke and Hanley.
Brownfield Land Put To Use
Nakota Property Management is focused on converting vacant and underused land across Staffordshire and Cheshire into homes designed around the care and accessibility requirements of people with disabilities. Its Audley scheme has repurposed a disused garage space into three detached bungalows, creating a residential use for a site that had previously fallen out of use.
The £400,000 loan was made to Nakota’s parent company, FMT Utilities Holdings Ltd, which is led by husband-and-wife team Steve and Jodie Taaffe. Funding came through Lloyds’ Clean Growth Finance Initiative, which offers discounted lending for sustainable investment, including new buildings developed to industry-recognised high energy-efficiency standards.
The scheme points to the value of bringing social housing, social care provision and low-carbon building measures together at smaller sites. Rather than treating accessibility as an add-on, the Audley homes were planned to support the needs of residents and care teams from the outset.
Neil Harding, Operations Director at Nakota Property Management, said:
“Bringing new life to these forgotten sites helps us deliver on our mission to deliver success, backed by social impact.
We’re grateful for the support Lloyds has provided throughout our journey. The team has taken the time to understand our business and the difference we’re trying to make in the communities we serve. It’s great to see how they’ve backed our long-term vision to give people with disabilities greater independence, and we look forward to working alongside the bank to continue our commitment.”
Homes Designed For Care
Each bungalow includes disabled-access parking, space for a carer’s office and rest facilities intended to support 24-hour monitored care. Camera and intercom systems are also included, recognising the practical requirements of residents who may need ongoing support while maintaining greater independence at home.
After completion, Nakota partnered with a housing provider specialising in social care to let the homes to people seeking greater independence, community integration and pathways into work. This arrangement connects the built environment with the longer-term support needed for residents to establish themselves within their communities.
Solar panels, EV charging points and high-performance windows form part of the project’s sustainability measures. For specialist housing providers, investment in energy-efficient fabric and on-site technologies can sit alongside care quality, offering a route to homes that are designed for both day-to-day comfort and reduced energy use.
Finance For Specialist Housing
The Audley investment forms part of Lloyds’ broader financing activity in the social housing sector. In July this year, Lloyds Banking Group announced £500 million of new finance for small and specialist social housing providers across the UK. The commitment follows £200 million announced in 2024, which has now been delivered.
Combined finance from the two commitments is expected to support around 2,900 new affordable homes. For organisations working in specialist social care accommodation, such funding can help address the capital requirements of developments with tailored layouts, support spaces and energy-efficiency measures.
Jon Dockerill, Relationship Manager at Lloyds, said:
“Nakota’s distinctive model provides a sustainable business that centres around social value. It’s been fantastic to see how the Ardley development has come together and we look forward to championing the team as they embark on new developments in the area.”
Crewe Pipeline Takes Shape
Nakota is now building on the Audley development through its wider pipeline across Staffordshire and Cheshire. Alongside the completion of projects in Stoke and Hanley, the company intends to create 11 one-bedroom apartments on a brownfield site in Crewe.
The planned Crewe homes will use fully electric heating and water systems. The project continues Nakota’s focus on bringing vacant sites back into productive use while incorporating energy measures into new social care-focused accommodation.
Construction activity is also supporting local employment. Nakota engages up to 16 workers on site each week, while its care partner continues to recruit staff to support residents. The combination of construction roles and care employment gives the developments a wider local economic role beyond the delivery of new homes.
A Local Model For Independence
Nakota’s programme demonstrates how smaller brownfield plots can provide an opportunity for specialist housing that may be overlooked by conventional development models. The Audley bungalows bring care facilities, accessibility and energy-efficiency measures into a compact regeneration project, while the Crewe pipeline signals further investment in the region.
With finance in place and a housing provider supporting lettings, the completed homes offer a practical example of how social value can be embedded in site regeneration. As Nakota expands across Staffordshire and Cheshire, its work places independent living and the reuse of underused land at the centre of its residential model.
