Work starts on sheltered housing scheme

Work has started on a new sheltered housing scheme for residents in Driffield.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said Deira Court, a three-storey building, would replace the old accommodation on the site.

The authority said it had allocated more than £40m to replace or refurbish six sheltered housing schemes in the county.

Claire Hoskins, the council's director of asset strategy said the scheme would "deliver much needed sheltered accommodation" and will ensure older adults could live independently at home for longer.

The authority said the funding for the project included £7.8m from Homes England and £400,000 from the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority brownfield housing fund, with further funding bids to be submitted as schemes progress.

Hull-based developers Hobson & Porter won the £10.5m contract to demolish and rebuild the accommodation at Deira Court.

The scheme will have 32 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments, a communal resident's lounge, a communal drying room, a mobility scooter store, and an office for visiting council staff.

The building will be accessible for people with limited mobility and 10% of the accommodation will be built for wheelchair users.

Ms Hoskins said: "It's great to see work commence at Deira Court, and I look forward to seeing the first new residents move in, when the project is completed.

"The new scheme will deliver much needed sheltered accommodation, helping to ensure that older adults can live independently at home for longer."

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