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News

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Gloucester’s First Village is On The Way

01 December 2009

Great grandparent Derek Phelps (pictured) laid an engraved roof tile, 80 feet up, on the scaffold of Gloucester’s first retirement village.

Click here to see a film of the Topping Out ceremony.

The ceremony, involving 100 local residents, marked the near-completion of roof work on the City’s flagship £29m retirement scheme, a partnership between Gloucester City Council, Rooftop Housing and The ExtraCare Charitable Trust.

The Village is being developed on a four acre site (formerly Gloucester Cattle Market) and is due to open during Winter 2010.

St Oswald’s Village will provide 166 affordable homes for rent and purchase with 18 health and leisure facilities including a gym, greenhouse, craft room, IT centre and restaurant. With up to 24-hour assessed care available for those who need it, the ambition is to ensure couples have a ‘home for life’. In particular, those who are isolated and with limited means will be able to enjoy a safe, community environment which fosters an independent and active lifestyle.

Derek and Freda Phelps are amongst the 547 local householders who have already registered an interest in the Village and are now attending monthly meetings as part of a Village Friends Club which will help drive community involvement and the establishment of varied activities including Tai Chi, crafts, singing, gardening and woodwork.

Partnership Director for The ExtraCare Charitable Trust, John Payne, commented: “Finding an affordable alternative to traditional nursing and residential care is a challenge for care providers nationally. In Gloucester, we have found a strong, sustainable solution by working closely with the City Council and Rooftop Housing – both are keen to innovate and invest in the future. The outcome for local older people should be spectacular.”

Councillor Andrew Gravells, Deputy Leader of the City Council responsible for housing and health, commented: “This is an innovative development for people in their retirement years. It caters for those who are still able and active as well as those needing extra care. It is just what Gloucester needs, and I am so pleased to see this project cracking ahead.”

Allan Brace, Vice Chair, Evesham and Pershore Housing Association comments: “To witness the progress of a development of this scale and quality has been both amazing and inspiring. In these difficult times it proves how important it is to work in partnership to make things happen and there is no doubt that when complete the Village will add enormously to the quality of life of all its residents."

Village prices will be released when applications open in Spring 2010. Applications will be invited from Gloucester residents, aged 55 and over. ExtraCare’s benefits team will support all applicants wishing to apply for the Village – the team finds, on average, £1.2m pa to support residents in ExtraCare Villages. To register, phone: 0870 777 4800.