Taylor Wimpey and The Extracare Charitable Trust complete deal to bring new retirement village to Frenchay
Leading housebuilder Taylor Wimpey and The ExtraCare Charitable Trust, in partnership with Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council, have finalised an agreement which will see a brand new 261-home retirement village built in Frenchay, South Gloucestershire.
Contracts have been exchanged for the new facility to be provided by ExtraCare on land to the east of Coldharbour Lane, at Taylor Wimpey’s new Scholar’s Chase development.
With planning permission already in place, initial infrastructure works for the retirement village are set to begin in May 2016 and the completed village is expected to open in spring/summer 2018.
As well as providing supported housing for older people from both the South Gloucestershire and Bristol City local authority areas, the new retirement village will provide award-winning care, an inspirational lifestyle and a range of health and leisure facilities, including a library, retail space and community facilities for use by residents and the wider community.
Taylor Wimpey and ExtraCare have hailed the agreement as a major landmark in the delivery of an important amenity for the local community.
Ralph Hawkins, Managing Director of Taylor Wimpey Bristol, says: “We’re delighted to confirm that contracts have now been finalised for the provision of this exciting new extra care facility, and we now have a timetable in place for works to begin.
“At Taylor Wimpey, we’re committed to creating thriving communities which support the sustainable growth of the areas where we build – and this includes providing local facilities and infrastructure to complement our new homes.
“We’d like to thank ExtraCare, Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council for working with us to finalise this agreement and we’re very much looking forward to seeing the development evolve.
Mark Curran, Sales and Development Director for ExtraCare says, "This Village will provide spacious homes, an inspirational lifestyle and care for those who need support to stay independent.
“Our recent three year research study with Aston University proves that ExtraCare Villages offer older people a healthier and happier future and reduce public health costs. It's a new approach to retirement living and I'm delighted we are able to share it with the development of this new village."
Daniella Radice, Assistant Mayor for Neighbourhoods with responsibility for housing, said: “We are delighted that this exciting partnership project that will supply much needed extra care housing is now another step closer.
“Bristol City Council has committed almost £3 million to commission the delivery of 40 homes within the care village for Bristol residents looking for an alternative to residential care.
“Residents will benefit from on-site support services enabling them to maintain independent living.
“The development at Coldharbour Lane is the first of the three phases to be completed within the Retirement Living vision which was launched by the Mayor in 2013.
“Our vision is to offer a mix of options to people that can be changed to suit them as they age.”
Cllr Ben Stokes, Chair of Adults, Housing & Public Health Committee at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “The ExtraCare scheme approved at Coldharbour Lane is of a type and scale that is a first for South Gloucestershire, and will make a significant contribution towards meeting the council’s target to commission 700 mixed tenure Extra Care Housing homes by 2016/17, which complements our Better Support for Older People programme.
“As the scheme is located on the boundary with Bristol, an innovative cross-authority approach is being taken. We understand that nationally this will be a first of its kind whereby two neighbouring local authorities, South Gloucestershire and Bristol City Councils, jointly commission the care and support service and the two councils along with the Homes and Communities Agency are all contributing towards the capital costs of the project.”
The agreement will see Taylor Wimpey hand over five acres of land to ExtraCare to enable the new retirement village to be built.
Further information about ExtraCare and the Charity’s future village plans is available by visiting extracare.org.uk.
Meanwhile, new Taylor Wimpey homes at Scholars Chase are currently on sale from the nearby Square 1 @ Lyde Green development, off the Rosary Roundabout, Emersons Green, BS16 7AQ.
The Sales and Information Centre is open daily from 11am to 5.30pm, or visit taylorwimpey.co.uk.
