A ‘ground breaking’ event has officially started the construction phase of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Linc Cymru’s extra care scheme in Aberaman, which will deliver 40 new apartments.
The scheme will deliver extra care provision on the former Maesffynnon Residential Care Home site at Club Street, Aberaman – part of a wider £50m Council investment to deliver modern accommodation to meet the needs and changing expectations of the growing older population in the County Borough.
Extra care helps older people live as active and independent lives as possible, enabling residents to live in their own homes and receive targeted support for their individual assessed needs. The Council has identified the need for 300 extra care places across Rhondda Cynon Taf as demand for new models of care and support increases. In October 2017, Cabinet discussed a plan to develop five new extra care facilities – the first of which will be in Aberaman.
The Council’s chosen partner for the plan is Linc Cymru, the largest provider of extra care in Wales. The Aberaman scheme received planning permission in February, after the former care home was demolished in October 2017.
On Friday, June 1, an event took place in Aberaman to officially start the construction phase of the development – attended by representatives from the Council, Linc Cymru and F1 Modular, which will help deliver the scheme. Following a reception at the Blaengwawr Inn, where artist’s impression plans were displayed, the event continued at the development site where the ground was officially broken – marking the start of the construction phase.
The development will include 40 independent apartments (36 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom) for people aged 50 and over, within a single three-storey building. There will be on-site assistance for residents with decreased mobility or other similar conditions.
The scheme will provide communal facilities including a dining room and cafe, hair salon, therapy room, lounge, laundry room, winter garden room, activity room and guest suite. Ancillary areas such as a kitchen, staff room and offices will be provided, along with a 24-space car park and a garden area – which will be used in conjunction with Blaengwawr Primary School.
The development, supported by the Welsh Government’s Innovative Homes Programme, will use Modern Methods of Construction, in collaboration with the Welsh Procurement Service. F1 Modular, based in Powys, will construct elements of the development up to final fit-out stage in their factory, before delivering them to the site – helping to reduce the construction period.
Councillor Geraint Hopkins, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Community Services and Welsh Language, said: “The Aberaman development is the first extra care scheme to be delivered by the Council as part of a wider £50m investment, to address the need for 300 new extra care places across Rhondda Cynon Taf. This is a bold approach to ensure a sustainable model of care for current and future older generations.
“The Council is working closely with Linc Cymru over these schemes, to deliver upon our commitment to provide state-of-the-art modern facilities that maximise independence and reduce the dependency on more institutionalised alternatives. I’m looking forward to seeing progress being made over the coming months on the Aberaman development.”
Councillor Rhys Lewis, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Well-being and Cultural Services, added: “It was fantastic to meet representatives from Linc Cymru and F1 Modular on Friday, and discuss the exciting plans for the Aberaman extra care scheme. The ground has now been officially broken on the development site, which will begin to transform as this important scheme continues to make progress.”
Louise Attwood, Linc Cymru’s Development Director, said: “We are very excited to start this project alongside both Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and F1 Modular. As a provider of care we are keen to ensure we enrich the lives of its future residents and we believe that the innovation and high specification of this build will enable us to do that.”
Antony Walters, Chairman of F1 Modular, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with both Linc Cymru and Rhondda Cynon Taf Council to deliver this much-needed extra care scheme for the local community. The innovative approach to this scheme will demonstrate how modular construction has a key role to play in the development of these important schemes to house some of the most vulnerable people across both the county and the country.”
