Association unveils the future of retirement living

Thursday 17th November 2011

Trent and Dove Housing has unveiled the brand new £9.5 million Chestnut Grange, in Anglesey Road, Burton.

The association bulldozed its Anglesey Court facility, as well as the Staffordshire County Council-owned Horace Pritchard House, to make way for the 67-unit complex, made up of one and two-bedroom apartments.

The apartments will be available to people aged 55 and over with varying care needs as part of Trent and Dove's Extra Care scheme. They are part of the first facility of its kind in East Staffordshire, which pave the way for retirement living in the future.

Work started on the facility approximately 15 months ago and is expected to be completed by January next year.

Steve Grocock, director of property services at Trent and Dove, said: "It's not a nursing home.

"It encourages independent living. All the apartments are self-contained.

"The apartments will be fully fitted and decorated to an extremely high standard."

The complex will also have a host of communal facilities including a cinema, restaurant area and coffee bar.

"We've styled it on a five-star hotel," Mr Grocock said.

"There will be a glass atrium with fibre optic lights, which provide the illusion of starlight.

"We have some really innovative stuff in there."

The Rotary Club of Burton provided funding for the creation of a sensory garden with a water feature.

The Mayor of East Staffordshire, Patricia Ackroyd, has been given a guided tour of the show home.

She said: "I think it's an absolutely wonderful facility for the community.

"Trent and Dove has gone from strength to strength with the work it does and it's an outstanding building.

"The people who are fortunate enough to move in there are going to be very lucky and very happy."

Fifteen shared ownership apartments in the complex have already been allocated — the remaining 52 homes, which are for rent, are subject to a waiting list.

Mr Grocock said: "Here we have got a state-of-the-art building.

"We even have coloured lights that light the building up in a very subtle way.

"It will be an iconic building both in the day and at night."

Posted by 0 for Trent & Dove Housing Ltd.