Project Care is transforming accommodation for older people and people with learning disabilities who live in Buckinghamshire. Under Project Care, Housing Solutions, is investing £50 million, in developing new care homes as well as supported housing for people with learning difficulties. Over a five year period, Project Care is expected to provide nearly 600 beds in new residential care homes for older people, new one-bed flats and new shared houses for people with learning disabilities, as well as releasing land for 180 new affordable rented, key worker and shared ownership flats.
Lewin House in Aylesbury was our first residential care home built as part of Project Care. It was officially in April 2008 by HRH Princess Alexandra. It provides accommodation for 70 older people with a range of needs including nursing care and eight people with learning disabilities. The £6 million two storey building set the standard for all future care homes under Project Care. It was designed in a series of wings to provide residents with a cosy environment rather then the feeling of living in a large care home. Each wing is totally self contained with its own communal lounge and dining room and assisted bathing facilities. From every wing there is level access to outside space, either to a garden or patio from the ground floor or to balconies from the first floor. All residents will have ensuite rooms. The care home also has an extensive kitchen, a hairdressing salon, treatment room, shop, smoking room for residents and offices and staff facilities.
Downley Heights, in Downley, High Wycombe was completed in March 2009 and is the third residential care home completed under Project Care. It provides accommodation for 75 older people and has a specialist wing for 15 people with learning disabilties.
Icknield Court, in Berryfields Road, Princes Risborough was completed in November 2009. The care home was built at a cost of £8 million and provides accommodation for 90 older people with a range of needs, including dementia care.
Carey Lodge, in Wing, Buckinghamshire, is our fourth residential care home completed as part of Project Care and was handed over in May 2009. It provides accommodation for 75 older people. Carey Lodge also includes a purpose built bat loft. When we started work on the site there were bats nesting in the roof of the old stables on the site. They have been rehoused in a new bat loft over the entrance to Carey Lodge.