First care home in £45m development on track for 2014 opening

Care UK’s £45m reprovisioning programme for ten care homes in Suffolk is on track to open two homes in the summer of 2014.

Seven of the ten care homes receiving extensive redevelopment and construction have now reached on-site stages, where development partner Castleoak has started work on the projects.

The programme is set to replace Suffolk County Council’s former care homes and wellbeing centres by 2016.

Chris Hopkinson, regional operations director at Care UK said: “The Suffolk plan is making excellent progress and Castleoak, as our development partner, has been fundamental to the success achieved so far.”

Castleoak partnerships director, Phil Andrews, responsible for overall programme delivery, said: “Our planning team at Castleoak has worked tirelessly to achieve planning on eight sites so far. The focus is now moving to construction. Our understanding of Care UK’s detailed needs, coupled with our extensive experience of the care sector, and partnership approach, is delivering results.”

The first two care homes due to open next year are Asterbury Place in Ipswich and Mildenhall Lodge in Mildenhall.

Steve Rickard, head of planning at Castleoak said:“Planning permission has been secured on eight sites to date, with permission on the final two homes expected in a few weeks. We’re on track to deliver all ten consents in a little over a year.”