Council Enters Into Extra Care Scheme Partnership

Denbighshire County Council has agreed to an exciting new partnership with Grŵp Cynefin to develop an extra care facility on the Middle Lane School site in Denbigh. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council has been working towards developing extra care provision in Denbigh, to meet the needs of older people who want to live independently in their own homes, but with care and support available 24 hours a day, rather than having to rely on residential care. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Denbighshire purchased the Middle Lane School site last year from the charity that owned it and it has been working with its legal, procurement and planning teams, as well as Registered Social Landlords to develop a scheme that is suitable for the site as well as the surrounding area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Proposals were submitted from four registered social landlords and the Council has agreed to enter into a partnership with Grŵp Cynefin to build the extra care facility. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The proposal is for approximately 50 apartments, including provision for people with dementia; 8 Independent Living Units for people with disabilities; and 19 separate general needs apartments for older people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The partnership is subject to a number of factors – final costings of the scheme to ensure rent levels are affordable; arrangements and agreement of land disposal and the plans will be subject to planning permission. It is hoped that work will start on the site in early 2017, with works completed during Autumn 2018. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Bobby Feeley, Denbighshire’s Cabinet Lead Member for Social Care, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to further develop our extra care scheme offer in Denbighshire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Supporting older people to live independently is one of the Council’s main priorities and for a number of years, we have been working towards developing Extra Care provision in Denbigh. This is to ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of our older citizens in a way that supports their independence in a modern, sustainable way. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is an important milestone in the history of extra care in Denbigh and we look forward to working with Grŵp Cynefin to further develop the proposals and develop a great facility that supports older people in our community” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Walis George, Chief Executive of Grŵp Cynefin, added “We are delighted that the Council have chosen us as their partner on this project, which will be a significant investment in the town of Denbigh. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We look forward to regenerating the former Middle Lane school site to provide much needed quality housing for older people, whilst at the same time maximising the wider community benefits for the local area.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​