Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Another stage of sheltered housing project complete

A TOPPING out ceremony has taken place to mark the completion of external building work on a £9m care complex in Burton.

The Trent and Dove development in Anglesey Road will offer a mix of 67 one and two-bedroom new homes, 52 of which will be for rent and 15 for shared ownership.

The Chestnut Grange complex will include a restaurant, a small shop, a secure private garden, a hairdressing salon and health facilities.

It will also be wired up to high-tech computer and scanner systems to offer the latest in ‘Telecare’, which can sense risks such as smoke, floods and gas, remind occupants to take pills and call for help if they fall.

The complex will have low-energy heating and hot water systems to achieve lower running costs for residents.

The scheme was made possible following an agreement being reached with Staffordshire County Council concerning Horace Pritchard House Sheltered Scheme, which adjoined the site of Trent and Dove’s former Anglesey Court sheltered complex, and is expected to be completed towards the end of this year.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) gave the project a major ‘shot in the arm’ when it awarded a grant of £4.6m towards the cost of the development.

The property is designed to achieve ‘Lifetime Home Standards’, which provides for long-term adaptability and flexibility.

Construction is being undertaken by Walsall-based contractors, and work started in May. Local schoolchildren were involved in a demolition event that saw hundreds of balloons being released by them to mark the occasion.

The children are now involved in a competition to guess when the first residents move into their new home and were invited to the topping out ceremony last week to mark the milestone.

Ron Dougan, chief executive at Trent and Dove, said: “We’re pleased to be developing these new homes with our strategic development partners Matrix, who bring a wealth of experience in terms of best practice and expertise. This is a key milestone along the way and I would like to thank the county council, borough council and the HCA for their support, without which this scheme would not have been possible.”

County councillor Matthew Ellis, cabinet member for adults and wellbeing, said: “Chestnut Grange is a great example of how people can live life to the full with greater independence and safe in the knowledge that there is 24/7 care and support available on demand as their health circumstances change.”

All but one of the properties offered for shared ownership have been snapped up and anyone interested should contact Kath Jennings at Trent and Dove as soon as possible.

Ms Jennings is available by telephoning 01283 528528.

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