Developer appointed to £24m extra care scheme

Wates Residential has been appointed by the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) to build an extra care village development valued at £24m.

The development will be known as New Lodge and will be located in the garden village of New Earswick, York. Plans for the area once complete encompass the idea of a social space, with facilities and garden areas that people of all ages can enjoy.

Work is scheduled to start on site this month and will see the construction of a new extra care village consisting of 149 units. The project is due to complete in 2021, and will also see the demolition of Red Lodge, an existing care facility, and the re-location of the multi-use games area that currently sits within the site.

Both JRHT and Wates will undertake a range of community initiatives that will be delivered throughout the project. This will include a series of training and employment opportunities for local people as well as engagement with schools, community groups and employing the services of local businesses and social enterprises.

JRHT is a registered housing association and care provider in Yorkshire and North East England, working with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to inspire social change. It manages approximately 2,500 homes in Yorkshire and the North East, half of which are  located in New Earswick.

Jo Jamieson, managing director, Wates Residential North, said: “It’s an honour for us to work with the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust on this project, which will provide a much needed boost for extra care accommodation in New Earswick. As part of our work delivering this scheme we will create opportunities for local people to learn, train and work at this fantastic new development, ensuring the project leaves a positive legacy that will be felt in the local community long after the project’s completion.”

Joel Owen, deputy director of development and asset management at JRHT, added: “It’s important that JRHT continue to meet the needs of the local area by providing decent affordable homes and high-quality care services, long into the future. We are excited to begin work with Wates Residential as we build New Lodge. With works already underway on the refurbishment of the Folk Hall, and the launch of the new tennis and sports courts, this is an exciting next chapter for the village. We will work closely with Wates and the local community to ensure that this is a successful and positive change for the area.”