A turf cutting ceremony is being held on Friday 12 March (11am until 11.30am) to mark the start of work on the latest South Gloucestershire Council extra care housing scheme.
Fiveways, as it is currently known, is located on New Cheltenham Road in Kingswood and will provide 40 one and two bedroom flats to rent.
There will be a range of communal facilities for residents as well as 24-hour onsite care and support.
Also, a ‘Wellbeing Centre’ is being built adjacent to the extra care housing development that will provide services for older people and people with learning difficulties. And there will be an onsite restaurant to provide meals for service users at the centre and residents living in the extra care accommodation.
The Fiveways scheme, which is being built in partnership with Housing 21, is due to be completed in Autumn 2011 by contractor Leadbitter.
Extra care housing allows people to live as independently as possible, in an affordable home of their own. Residents have their own front door, can live with their partner or friends, and have enough room to allow family and friends to stay too – while knowing support is available if they need it.
As well as the Fiveways development, work is also continuing on schemes in Yate, also being built in partnership with Housing 21; and Downend, which is being developed by Hanover Housing. These schemes will contribute to the council’s overall aim of 700 extra care housing units in the district.
Councillor Matthew Riddle, executive member for community care and housing and older people’s champion at the council, said: “I’m delighted that work has started on another extra care scheme. It is part of the council’s ongoing commitment to seeking to facilitate 700 extra care places in South Gloucestershire. We are working in partnership with Housing 21 to provide a development that will be a real benefit for the local community, providing older people with choice and independence.”
David O’Neill, head of new business and sales said at Housing 21, said: “Our partnership with South Gloucestershire Council will see the provision of comfortable, secure and well-appointed apartments that support independent living. We know that extra care schemes can transform the lives of older people and I am sure that this new development at Kingswood will bring major benefits, both to the tenants and to the wider local community.”
Russell Houghton, regional director of Leadbitter’s western housing division, said, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to bring our expertise in the construction of housing and care provision to this important project for the South Gloucestershire community, and look forward to working closely with the council and Housing 21 to transform the design into high-quality homes and facilities.”
The extra care scheme is part of plans by the council to transform services for older people in the district. The council wants to help more older people stay in their homes for longer, offer better support for carers, and build a new generation of state-of-the-art residential care homes for those with the most complex needs, alongside facilitating the 700 extra care housing units.
Source: South Gloucestershire Council
