Robertson gets cracking on South Shields extra care
Working for Karbon Homes and South Tyneside Council, the contractor has started on a 124-unit project at the former Chuter Ede school on Benton Road.
Benton Road will be the second extra care facility built by Robertson for Karbon and South Tyneside Council, the first being a 95-apartment scheme in Hebburn town centre.
Delivery is being part-funded by Homes England, through Karbon’s strategic partnership with the government’s housing delivery agency.
The 124-apartment scheme will help address the lack of supported accommodation options in the borough, available to those over the age of 18 with additional needs for independent living.
Elliot Robertson, chief executive of Robertson Group, said: “Extra Care provision plays an incredibly important societal role and to be delivering a second scheme for Karbon and South Tyneside Council demonstrates their confidence in our team to create high-quality, sustainable homes that offer a supportive place to live.
“Karbon has developed an Extra Care model that combines specialist design, flexible care provision and community access, giving residents greater independence while ensuring support is available when required. It is with a great sense of pride that we can continue our relationships to deliver a building that enables this model to work in practice.”
Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, said: “It’s exciting to be breaking ground here at Benton Road, on the second of our new Extra Care schemes in the borough.
“Residents have consistently told us that they want to remain living independently in their own communities for as long as possible, rather than moving into residential care.
“That’s why we’re committed to providing a range of specialist accommodation options across South Tyneside so that people with different needs can remain living with support in the borough, staying connected to the places and people that matter most to them.”
The scheme is designed by regional firm JDDK Architects, and will feature 124 apartments across four storeys, laid out around a central communal courtyard.
Twenty five of the apartments are specifically designed for people living with dementia.
The scheme will also have multi-use spaces for activities, which will be open for community groups to use, alongside a bistro café open to the general public.
Zoey Hawthorne, group director of development at Karbon Homes, said: “It’s fantastic to be on site marking the start of our second Extra Care scheme in partnership with South Tyneside Council.
“This is the largest Extra Care scheme we’ve delivered to date, bringing affordable, quality and efficient homes that meet the needs of the local area.
“One of our key ambitious for this project is to provide homes that cater for a diverse mix of residents, from young adults with additional needs to those living with dementia.”
Karbon’s partnership with Homes England is supporting Karbon to deliver 2,324 new affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire by 2028, 10% of which will be new homes for people requiring additional support needs.
