A £4.9 million extra care facility in Rochdale built with the help of £903,000 of Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) funding is on course to open in Spring 2015, following a topping out ceremony.
Representatives from providers Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) and Rochdale Borough Council, who are supporting the project, were among those who attended the event on land adjacent to Hare Hill Park in Littleborough.
The new facility will mark a defining moment in the way the borough cares for older residents. It will offer older people the chance to lead independent lives in their own home with the peace of mind that expert care is on hand 24-hours-a-day.
The complex will be built over three storeys and will provide 41 two-bedroom apartments and 2 one-bedroom apartments. In addition, there will be an L-shaped building housing a community café, a hair and beauty salon, communal lounge and hobbies room, and a therapy room for visiting health care professionals. The scheme will also feature a 22-space car park and an enclosed sensory garden.
A panel of RBH residents, the local community and the council’s adult care team all contributed to the design of the scheme, which will offer easy access to local amenities such as Hare Hill Park, the library and shops.
Rochdale Borough Council is set to appoint a care provider for the facility shortly to ensure that the care needs of all the residents are met.
Deborah McLaughlin, the HCA’s Executive Director for the North West, said: "I’m delighted to see work beginning on this fantastic extra care housing scheme. The HCA recognises the need for good quality independent living for the people of Rochdale, and I’m sure the future residents of this development will enjoy the great facilities and the pleasant environment that it will provide."
Lynne Brosnan, Chair of RBH’s Representative Body, said: “I am thrilled that our first extra care scheme is so close to opening as it will be a huge asset to the borough, offering homes for older people where care and support are available, but which also encourage and support independence. We were determined to engage fully with residents, partners and the local community to achieve the best possible design.”