Loreburn Housing Association is on the hunt for a suitable site for a new extra care housing scheme for Esk Valley.
The original site earmarked for the development has been found to have flood risk issues linked to the vulnerable clients who will be housed there.
The proposed scheme would provide high quality homes, including dementia, wheelchair adapted and extra care facilities. Other features include a health and wellbeing centre, space for community activities, staff/office/meeting room facilities, a coffee bar and facilities for health and beauty treatments.
The project will be delivered in partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership, Dumfries & Galloway Council, the Scottish Government and other partners. It will become a valued asset to the Esk Valley community, enabling people to live as independently as they can for longer within their own homes, surrounded by friends and family.
Gary Sheehan, Health and Social Care Locality Manager at D&G Health and Social Care Partnership, and Lorraine Usher, Chief Executive Officer of Loreburn Housing Association, met with members of the Esk Valley Reference Group on 24th January to discuss progress on the project, which has widespread support from the local community, politicians, health managers, care providers and future customers alike.
Lorraine Usher, CEO of Loreburn Housing Association said: “We are keen to get this innovative project built, so the lack of a suitable site, due to flood risk and size, is proving utterly frustrating. This is an excellent opportunity to develop a modern, affordable solution to address the health and social care challenges of the future. The partnership are planning a project which will allow people to remain in their own homes, with their own front door and 24/7 support, and most importantly in their local community, surrounded by friends and family. The specialist dementia flats and innovative extra care – a first for this region – will include cutting edge technology in housing with support, which is very much needed. We just need a suitable site.”
Lorraine added: “Concern is beginning to grow, should a suitable site not be identified in the Esk Valley soon, that the current allocated grant monies may have to be transferred to another development project in the region. If anyone knows of a site which might fit the bill, then please call Graham Robertson, Development Manager or a member of our Development Team on 01387 321300. In the meantime, we will continue our search, and will meet with the flood prevention team at the Council on 1st February to try to identify a solution.”
Gary Sheehan, Health and Social Care Locality Manager said: “As we have identified funding and secured widespread community support for this project, it is frustrating that we are experiencing great difficulty in identifying a suitable site. However we will continue to work closely with Loreburn and the local community to try and find a local site for this exciting project. We’ve agreed to reconvene a meeting of the Esk Valley Reference Group in March 2018 to provide a further update on the development of the Extra Care Housing project.”
