RCT Council and Linc Cymru (Linc) have provided an update on the positive progress being made to construct a new extra care housing scheme for Porth.
Project contractor Intelle Construction resumed site activity in February 2024, to build a state-of-the-art development containing 60 extra care apartments. The four-storey building will include a dining area, a hair salon, an activity room, a day care centre and offices, plus an external car park. The exciting scheme will bring the former Dan y Mynydd Care Home site back into use.
Initial work in the earlier weeks on site focused on key infrastructure – including drainage work as well as soil nailing, to retain both the site’s western embankment and the existing culvert on the southern side of the site.
Groundworks have continued with the construction of foundations to the entire building and reinforced concrete to the lower ground floor area, adjacent to the embankment. The lift pit has been constructed and will be used as a crane base in the construction period. The use of a tower crane will greatly assist with the movement of construction materials within the site.
Construction of the extra care accommodation, and handover of the site from the contractor to the Council, is on course for completion during late 2025.
Councillor Gareth Caple, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “This update on the construction phase of the new extra care housing scheme for Porth reports on the initial site activity since work resumed earlier this year. I was able to visit in June to see some of the initial infrastructure work, which has focused on site drainage, retaining structures, and the first works towards constructing the building foundations.
“This project demonstrates our commitment with Linc to invest in modern accommodation with care facilities, and to increase the number of extra care beds in the County Borough. The most-recent extra care schemes in Aberaman and Graig have established themselves as popular hubs in their communities – which is what we’re aiming to replicate in Porth by the end of next year.
“Our investment commitments will not stop here, after Cabinet last year agreed a multi-million pound programme to build modern accommodation in Treorchy, Ferndale, Mountain Ash and Church Village. This reflects the change in people’s needs that requires more variety and choice of accommodation, to serve our communities for generations to come.”
Richard Hallett, development manager at Linc Cymru, said: “This building and the services it will provide are going to make a huge difference to the lives of so many people in Rhondda Cynon Taf. We’re proud to be working in partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council on such a landmark project. A development of this size quickly changes on site as our contractor progresses through each stage. It was great to hear that Cllr Caple enjoyed his tour of the site and we look forward to showing him around the site again later this year.”
