70 new homes planned to support older people in Penarth

The new apartment complex will be built alongside Ty Dewi Sant, a dementia-friendly care home and Oak Court on Myrtle Close.

The extra care complex will include self-contained apartments, with tailored on-site care for individuals who want to live independently in their homes in Penarth.

Work on the £20 million project funded by the Housing with Care Fund and a Social Housing Grant from the Welsh Government is due to start this summer and is expected to last up to two years.

Cllr Lis Burnett, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “I’m delighted that lease arrangements for this land have been completed and work on this exciting new complex can begin.

Vale of Glamorgan Council and Wales & West housing plan to build the new complex near Myrtle Close. Picture: Google (Image: Google)“It will provide much-needed affordable accommodation for older persons in Penarth and is a fine example of what can be achieved through effective partnership working by public sector organisations.

“In time, we hope that other elements can be added to the scheme to provide comprehensive support for its community of residents.”

Wales and West Housing will construct the complex after the Council transferred it onto a long-term lease.

It is the latest step in a larger project to integrate new and existing older persons’ homes with social care and health facilities at the location.

She added: “Our recent ‘Life in the Vale’ survey revealed that two main priorities for residents are: easily accessible care and health services and being able to buy or rent a good quality home. We also know that these are concerns for older people.

What the proposed 70-apartment complex would look like. Picture: Vale of Glamorgan Council (Image: Vale of Glamorgan Council)“It is vital that we listen to this feedback and developments such as this represent a significant step in helping to address those concerns. The land on which the development will be housed is located on a 3.6–acre site near Myrtle Close.

“It will be situated alongside Oak Court, an existing WWH older persons’ residential facility, and Ty Dewi Sant, a dementia-friendly care home operated by the council.”

Welsh contractor JG Hale Group will build the new facility with improved highway access.

The council also plans to build an older persons’ independent living development of around 32 affordable homes.

Wales & West Housing’s Regional Development Manager, Jon Harvey, said: “We’re pleased to play a major part in the development of this extra care scheme which will provide high quality, modern homes to meet the needs of older people in the area.

“Our Penarth extra care scheme will give residents the freedom to live independently in their flat but with the peace of mind of knowing they live in safe surroundings with a 24-hour emergency response service.

“All the flats will be energy efficient with high insulation levels that will help keep the energy bulls affordable for residents. The building will be fitted with solar panels and battery storage to generate power for the communal areas and reduce its carbon footprint.”

He added that the new site will have a restaurant and laundry area.

“The scheme is in a convenient location and will have an on-site restaurant and shared communal gardens, lounges, and a laundry.

"All the apartments will have views out over a central dementia-friendly garden for residents.

“We currently operate five extra care schemes across Wales and our residents say their lives are transformed when they move in.”