Work commences on sheltered housing and medical centre

Derwentside Homes have started work on Lynwood House, a brand new sheltered housing development in County Durham, thanks to investment from the Homes and Communities Agency.

The development  includes 33 two-bedroom en-suite apartments for the over 55s and a new state of the art Medical Centre. The apartments, which will be for sale and affordable rent, will be designed to an extremely high standard and will offer luxury accommodation for older people who wish to live independently.

Lynwood House, in Lanchester, County Durham, is on the site of a former residential care home which was owned by Durham County Council.  The care home was one of seven closed by the council in October 2010.

The £6m development is being paid for by Derwentside Homes with support from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The doctors’ surgery will be funded and owned by Trinity Medical Properties Ltd and occupied on completion by Park House Surgery, who currently practice from smaller premises in the village. The developer for the site is Galliford Try.

Stephen Melvin, Director of Development and Property Services at Derwentside Homes, said: “We are delighted to see work commence on Lynwood House.  The development will provide much needed accommodation for the over 55’s as well as providing facilities that will benefit the local area. Lynwood House is now our fourth major refurbishment project and will see the creation of luxury apartments and communal facilities.  We have already fully refurbished sheltered courts at Magdalene Court in Medomsley and Haven House in Leadgate, while Castle Court in Annfield Plain is nearing completion and is expected to open this spring.

“By working with Durham County Council, local GP’s and community groups, we have been able to ensure that Lynwood House will meet the needs of the local community and like all our other sheltered housing schemes, we are expecting high demand for the properties once they are completed.”

Bill Carr, Area Manager at the Homes and Communities Agency, said: “This start on site is the culmination of at least four years of hard work by the partnership and we will soon have new high quality accommodation for older people in this rural community. The provision of a new doctor’s surgery is fantastic since it will also provide facilities for everyone locally.”

Stephen McCoy, Managing Director of Galliford Try Partnerships North, added: “We are delighted to have been selected to build this high quality, modern and flexible facility, which will allow people to live independently, in their own homes, for longer.  It is a concept we applaud and will, I’m sure, become a model for other, similar developments.”

John Sample, Trinity’s Managing Director, said: “As part of our UK portfolio of Medical Centres and pharmacies, Trinity is proud of its association with the Lynwood Project.  The new Medial Centre will provide modern spacious accommodation for the Park House Practice including well fitted out consulting rooms, and a minor operations suite. Patients from the practice will benefit from a wider range of medical services planned to be provided from the new spacious facility.”

The scheme is expected to be completed in 2014 and of the 33 new apartments, 13 will be made available for sale with the rest offered for affordable rent through Derwentside Homes.