£20m Sunderland extra care development to create local employment opportunities

North of England contractor, Esh Construction, is working in partnership with Riverside to deliver a 97-home extra care development near the A182 Washington Highway, Sunderland.

The project will bring new extra care apartments and bungalows to vacant land, featuring an apartment building containing 84 one and two-bedroom apartments, communal living facilities, as well as a selection of two-bedroom bungalows.

Managed by Riverside, the development will allow local people to live independently in their own home, while accessing 24/7 on-site care and support should they need it. Esh Construction brought forward the development with Riverside, Wilkinson Cowan Partnership Ltd, SP&Architects, Billinghurst George & Partners and BH Planning & Design.

Laura Devaney, Esh’s land and partnerships director, commented: “This land led scheme has been long in the making, therefore, we are delighted to receive the go ahead from planners.

“It is widely documented that our ageing society is causing a shortage of later life living options which means building new extra care housing, like the proposed development at Washington, is a high priority. We look forward to getting work underway next year.”

The new apartments will be set amongst communal landscaped gardens, and the on-site multi-functional social hub will feature a bistro style café, and a wellbeing and hair salon, helping to “create a sense of community which can help combat the loneliness and social isolation that people often experience in later life”.

All apartments will have “state of the art” electronic care call response equipment, and solar photovoltaic panels will be installed on the apartment block to provide more energy efficient properties.

John Glenton, executive director for care and support at Riverside, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Sunderland City Council and Esh Construction to deliver this new service. As well as independent living in stunning apartments, tenants will have access to onsite services including a range of engaging health and wellbeing events.

“Communal facilities will be open to the wider community as we aim to build a service which the local neighbourhood can enjoy. In this way, Moorway will be similar to our existing service in Washington, Willowbrook, which has been open for five years, and is award winning in terms of the care provided and also the activities which bring extra care to life.”

“In the coming months, Moorway will be offering employment opportunities for local people, and we look forward to welcoming the community through our doors when we open.”

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily

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