£8m extra care scheme is now complete

An extra care development for people over the age of 55 in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, successfully completed construction work this week.

Thanks to a partnership between Housing 21, North Yorkshire County Council, Hambleton District Council and contractor Tolent, work was able to safely continue over recent weeks to ensure this development was ready on time.

Gateshead-based contractor Tolent adhered to strict health and safety protocol on site, including: re-programming works to minimise the number of people on site, staggering shifts and break times, providing full time cleaning services, implementing one-way access to work areas and carrying out modified risk assessments to implement social distancing.

Near to country house Cleveland Lodge, the scheme is known as Fry Court, after chocolate manufacturing firm JS Fry & Sons – the creator of Fry’s Turkish Delight.

A member of the Fry family, Sir Wilfrid Fry, once lived in Cleveland Lodge, with wife Lady Anne of the Cadbury family.

Fry Court provides 57 one and two bedroom apartments available for affordable rent and shared ownership.

It is Housing 21’s first extra care scheme in Great Ayton and has been designed for people over the age of 55 to promote independent living in a community setting, with access to 24/7 on-site care if required.

Residents will benefit from on-site facilities, including a café/bistro and hair salon, which are also accessible to visitors subject to social distancing.

There is also a residents’ lounge, activity room, treatment room and communal gardens.

Holly Hunton, housing and care manager at Fry Court, said: “I am excited to be able to now start moving residents into our beautiful new extra care scheme.

“We have faced challenges along the way, but no one could have predicted a global pandemic! I am so proud of our teams for ensuring building work could continue safely for those in need of a new home with good quality care and support.”

Leader of Hambleton District Council, Councillor Mark Robson, added: “Hambleton District Council welcomes the opening of this much needed extra care housing scheme in Great Ayton.

“The council has worked with Housing 21 in the development and allocation of these new homes and is delighted with the completed housing scheme which will enable residents to live independently whilst being able to receive care and support.”

Commercial director for Tolent, Paul Walker, said: “We are extremely proud of our teams who have persevered through challenging times to ensure this project could be delivered for Housing 21.

“From the start of this global pandemic, the health and wellbeing of our colleagues and supply chain partners has continued to be our number one priority.

“There were some fundamental changes made to our ways of working which sometimes isn’t easy to do, but our teams rose to the challenge and can all be proud of what they have achieved.”