Work begins on £11.3m project to transform derelict Brighouse land

The £11.3 million project will see Home Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of homes for sale and affordable rent, join forces with Calderdale Council, Leeds-based architect Brewster Bye and energy and regeneration specialist ENGIE, to construct 65 extra care apartments with some facilities specially designed for residents with dementia.

Councillor Daniel Sutherland, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Environment, said: “We want people to be able to live independently and affordably within the community for as long as possible, and to enjoy a good quality of life. This impressive new development will provide decent homes for local people and more options with their care needs.”

The development, which will be built on vacant land off Bramston Street, will include the construction of a new split level seven-storey apartment block, creating affordable new homes for the over-55s and additional support facilities including a hair salon, coffee shop and winter garden.

Coun Bob Metcalfe, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Social Care, added: “We’re delighted to bring top-quality new homes to Calderdale to support older people and those with dementia. This is the first dementia-focused extra care scheme in the borough and one of only a small number in the North. We have worked closely with the Alzheimer’s Society and other organisations to ensure the design will meet people’s needs.”

The development is due to open in Spring 2020. The new homes will support the Vision2024 to make Calderdale a place where people want to live, work, visit and invest.

Teresa Snaith, Head of Development and Delivery, New Models of Care at Home Group, said: “We’re excited to see this extra care development, which will offer our customers the highest quality homes to suit their needs, moving forward.

“This scheme is the latest example of our new models of care programme which brings together excellent building design principles, partners and community consultation to deliver homes, while promoting health and wellbeing for those who live there”

The partnership has recently been shortlisted for an Inside Housing Development award relating for the Bramston Street extra care scheme in the Best Older People’s Housing Development category.

Mick Mills, Regional Managing Director at ENGIE, said: “We are delighted to be starting work on this new development with our partners. This extra care scheme will help to drive forward our shared ambition of expanding the choice of high quality retirement housing in the borough to ensure the older generation are able to enjoy life to the fullest whilst maintaining their independence.

“This new scheme is the eleventh development for ENGIE and Home Group in the last 10 years and represents a continuation of our great partnership work to provide quality, affordable housing.”