Harrogate Neighbours housing association has secured planning permission for a new £7m housing scheme that will provide 21st-century supported care facilities for older people.
Working in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council and construction company, Keepmoat, Harrogate Neighbours plans to develop a new 5,125sq m extra care housing scheme on the redundant highways depot in Station View, Starbeck.
Under ‘The Cuttings’ scheme, designed by Bradford architects, Langtry-Langton,55 one and two-bedroom apartments and studio flats will be constructed, together with communal facilities including lounge, café, treatment rooms, laundry, hair salon, activity room and landscaped gardens.
The development will also include new administrative space and kitchen facilities that will enable the housing association to cater for the residents as well as continuing to run Food Angels, which provides a hot meals service five days a week to elderly customers across Harrogate.
We’re delighted to be granted planning permission as it will provide much-improved modern living facilities for our residents that match the 21st-century level of care we provide
Once complete, the living space will be available to rent and will provide older people with the chance to continue living independently, but with access to communal living and emergency and unplanned care provided by trained staff who will be on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2015 with work expected to take 18 months.
Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, said: “We’re delighted to be granted planning permission as it will provide much-improved modern living facilities for our residents that match the 21st-century level of care we provide.
“Importantly, it will also help meet the increasing demand we’re seeing among older people who are still keen to live as independently as possible while having the security and reassurance that there is somebody looking out for them and can provide them with more support if they need it. The Cuttings will deliver this, as well as providing a lively and vibrant community hub for residents that will go a long way to sustaining a great quality of life.”
Once The Cuttings development has been completed, Harrogate Neighbours will redevelop its existing Greenfield Court facility and the residential care site, Heath Lodge. The plans are aimed at upgrading and extending the existing extra care and residential facilities to provide modern spaces that suit the evolving care needs for people as they get older.