Essex County Council has been working in partnership with scheme owners Sanctuary Group, Basildon District Council and the South West Essex Primary Care Trust to put together an £11million scheme to redevelop Shaftsbury Court in Pitsea for extra care housing.

Cllr David Finch, Essex County Council cabinet member for adults, health and community wellbeing, said: “This is really wonderful news. Essex County Council is committed to delivering a better quality of life and supporting our vulnerable older people in Essex and this funding will help us towards that goal.

“This development will contribute to ensuring older people, people with chronic conditions, disabled people and people with mental health needs have the opportunity to live independently for as long as possible and give them greater choice and control over the services they receive.”

It is envisaged in the new scheme there will be 43 self-contained apartments for social rent and 15 for leasehold shared ownership. Four apartments for re-ablement / rehabilitation will be located on the ground floor.

The funding boost means the site can be redeveloped with key features of a new-build extra care housing scheme - a restaurant, shop, beauty suite, assisted bathroom, lounge and guest facilities. It can also act as a focal point in the area for other local older people interested in leading active and healthy lives.

Other benefits could include:

• A wellbeing suite featuring exercise classes, smoking cessation, toenail cutting, falls prevention services, lifelong learning and sessions to reduce social isolation and promote independence
• a re-ablement / rehabilitation service delivered by an integrated health and social care team which will help people stay independent longer and avoid admission to hospital
• An area of garden where residents can grow vegetables.
• A café / IT room
• A range of therapy sessions
• The primary care trust proposes to expand its telehealth pilot and offer telehealth monitoring facilities to residents at the scheme.

The scheme will benefit older people who may otherwise move into residential care, people with physical or sensory difficulties, people with degenerative / long-term conditions and people in the early stages of dementia.

It is hoped work can begin by the end of September.

Shaftsbury Court which is owned by Sanctuary Group, dates back to the 1970s and, although well-maintained, is of an older style and is becoming less popular due to changing aspirations among older people and a surplus of this type of accommodation locally. It currently has 38 bedsits, 24 flats and various communal facilities.