• Work starts on 65 supported living apartments in Ashby

Work starts on 65 supported living apartments in Ashby

"With Springfields we are creating a modern community in the heart of the National Forest, a vibrant place supporting and promoting health and wellbeing."

Joanna Grainger

Executive Director of Care & Support

springfields sos

A ground-breaking ceremony was held in Ashby-de-la-Zouch on 16 September to celebrate work starting on a collection of supported living homes by Leicestershire-based social housing and care organisation emh care & support.

The £12.5m development named Springfields, funded by emh group with a £1.25m contribution from North West Leicestershire District Council and £2.65m grant funding from Homes England, will be built by Willmott Dixon and see 65 one and two bedroom apartments created on the Burton Road site. The development will also include a private residents’ lounge and communal gardens, and a beauty salon and a bistro which will be open to the public.

The 65 apartments include 15 for shared ownership sale and 50 for rent, all built to the same high standard, completely self-contained, and designed to allow wheelchairs and mobility aids to be used. None of the apartments have been pre-allocated for either rent or sale, and choice will be down to individual preference and availability. To enable residents to take advantage of all things digital, the apartments are all equipped with fibre optic broadband.

Joanna Grainger, Executive Director of emh care & support, said: “A major development like this requires strong and trusted relationships, and we are delighted to be working with Willmott Dixon, North West Leicestershire DC, and other partners to deliver our most ambitious project to date. With Springfields we are creating a modern community in the heart of the National Forest, a vibrant place supporting and promoting health and wellbeing.

“The safety and security of our residents is very important to us, which is why we will have a dedicated team of staff available 24 hours a day throughout the year to ensure their wellbeing.

“We also know that people want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, but at some point may require additional help, and so at Springfields we will be offering flexible packages of care and support to suit changing needs.”

Councillor Roger Bayliss, Portfolio Holder for Housing at North West Leicestershire District Council, said: “One of our key priorities as a council is that local people live in high quality affordable homes, and we do this in a range of ways – from building our own council housing to supporting excellent schemes like Springfields. This scheme will be significant in terms of providing housing for people with support needs and I am looking forward to seeing the new homes built and lived in by local people.”

Michelle Cotterill, Director at Willmott Dixon, said: “We have been working closely with emh care & support to make sure we are creating a scheme that is going to make the local community proud. To do this we are investing £1.25m back into the community through projects and initiatives. We will be supporting apprenticeships and their development, and running an enrichment programme with children at a local secondary school as well as a ten-week traineeship with Stephenson College, where students will gain employability skills and on-site work experience. At Willmott Dixon, we have a purpose beyond profit and that includes being passionate about leaving a lasting legacy, something that this project will provide for many years to come.”

The social housing and care organisation is part of emh group, which last year was appointed a strategic partner of Homes England, the government’s homebuilding agency, securing £30.5m in grant funding. This has enabled the group to increase its development of new homes by 80 per cent, and will see around 2600 affordable homes built in the East Midlands by 2023.

For more information about the development, please go to our dedicated Springfields page.