The event celebrated the transformation of a previously closed care home into six modern, one-bedroom flats, following a £635,000 investment by the housing and care provider, supported by Scottish Government grant funding. The refurbishment has brought the unused space back into use, creating high-quality homes designed around the needs of older people and bringing West Port to a total of 37 homes.

However, the project is part of a much wider programme of investment across Bield’s developments, and guests were given the opportunity to hear about significant refurbishment works also recently completed in Cumnock and Perth. This ongoing programme is helping to improve existing homes and communal spaces, extend the life of buildings and ensure tenants can continue to enjoy safe, comfortable and welcoming places to live.

The event also provided an opportunity to showcase Bield’s Roadmap for Independent Living, launched in 2025, and the principles underpinning its 
approach to supporting older people:

• Homes designed for life;
• Technology that works for people;
• Communities that connect; and
• Systems that work together.

Through this approach, Bield aims to create homes and communities that support people’s changing needs, choices and aspirations. At West Port, this includes accessible homes, welcoming communal areas, Bield’s 24-hour BR24 digital alarm monitoring service and opportunities for tenants to socialise and stay connected.

Guests heard about Bield’s wider independent living approach (ILA), including its Community Cafés, which provide opportunities for people to meet others, enjoy activities and build social connections.

The event also showcased the Technology Enabled Care Services Association’s (TSA) Virtual Home platform, an immersive learning experience that allows participants to explore different technologies and consider how they could support people to live independently in ways that suit their needs and choices.

Learning from the platform will help Bield identify technologies that could make a positive difference to tenants as it continues to put its ILA into practice. Guests also learned more about Bield’s meal service and how tenant involvement, partnership working and connected services contribute to creating places where people can live well.

Drew Moore, director of assets at Bield, said: “West Port demonstrates what can be achieved when we invest in existing buildings and work collaboratively to create high-quality homes that meet the needs of older people. Alongside the six new flats, we have improved communal areas within the wider development, creating welcoming spaces where tenants can feel safe, maintain their independence and connect with others.

“This is part of our wider commitment to transforming existing properties into attractive, modern homes, with significant refurbishment works completed in Cumnock and Perth and further investment planned across our developments. Our focus is on creating homes designed for life, supported by technology, connected communities and services that work together to help people live independently for as long as possible.”

The event brought together Bield tenants, staff and board members, alongside representatives from West Lothian Council, contractor McConnell and architects Smith Scott Mullan, and other local partners and organisations.

Guests heard about the collaborative work involved in transforming West Port and saw how Bield’s approach to independent living is being applied across its services and developments.

Nick Cunningham, senior architect at Smith Scott Mullan, said: “We are delighted to see this project completed and to celebrate this important milestone with Bield. As a practice, we are passionate about unlocking the potential of existing buildings, designing high-quality homes for older people and supporting a more sustainable future by giving well-loved buildings a new lease of life.

“This project demonstrates the value of collaboration, with Bield, McConnell and the wider team working together to overcome challenges and deliver homes that will have a lasting positive impact on tenants and the local community.”

Frank McManus, divisional director at McConnell, said: “Bield’s extensive investment in West Port has delivered an outstanding development for its tenants, future tenants, on site Bield team and the wider local community.

“Refurbishing and remodelling an existing building like West Port presents its own challenges, but the collaboration and togetherness between Bield’s development team, on site care team, design consultants, and our own project management, expertly led by Bield’s Stephen Blair, ensured these challenges were addressed and overcome in a timely manner.

“Being invited to the opening of West Port makes this project stand out as a perfect example of partnership working and our values in action. Our ‘Why’ is creating authentic environments where people can be the best version of themselves; our ‘How’ is caring for each other and the service we provide; and our ‘What’ is breathing new life into buildings. Everyone mentioned above displayed these values which resulted in a fantastic project to be enjoyed for many years to come.”

Paul Edie, chair of Bield’s board, added: “West Port shows the value of turning unused spaces into high-quality homes while maintaining the welcoming community that makes a development special. The shared spaces and opportunities to socialise help tenants stay connected while enjoying their independence. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to make this project possible.”

Bield continues to invest in its existing housing portfolio, with plans to bring more unused properties back into use and modernise its developments. This includes the proposed redevelopment of Dean Court in Bo’ness, Bield’s first development, into a modern development designed to support independent 
living.