Residents say they are happy and settled at Larwood House in Worksop, one of Bassetlaw District Council’s five independent living centres, which has officially been opened after extensive refurbishment.
Bright, modern and welcoming apartments have been created at the complex in Worksop as 32 bedsits have been transformed into 18 self-contained one-bed apartments with updated communal areas.
Five residents have already moved in and are benefitting from larger living spaces, a fully accessible wet room and either a private patio or Juliet balcony.
Brenda Morris is among those who has moved back in and said: “It really is beautiful; I love it here and have settled in nicely since making the move in November. I can’t believe how big it is; my flat has more space than the bungalow I used to live in.”
As well as communal spaces including a lounge, kitchen and accessible gardens, there is also a store for personal mobility scooters, a drying room and a treatment room for visiting mobile hairdressers.
Energy efficiency measures such as solar panels and air source heat pumps have been installed, reducing the building’s carbon emissions.
Cllr Jonathan Slater, Cabinet Member for Housing and Estates said: “We’re proud of the investment being made in our Independent Living Centres and it shows a real commitment to improving our housing stock. Larwood House is the first of our centres to be upgraded with state-of-the-art facilities supporting people to live independently for many years to come.”
Cllr James Naish, Leader of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “We are investing over £117m in our social housing stock over the next 5 years. With rent in the private-rented sector continuing to increase rapidly, it is more important than ever that councils are supported to invest in high-quality affordable housing for the future. I look forward to seeing our similar schemes in Harworth and Bircotes, Retford and Misterton come to fruition over the next couple of years.”
Bassetlaw’s Independent Living Centres are a collection of self-contained apartments and flats that specifically cater for older residents who wish to live in a community setting. Larwood House is the first of the Council’s Independent Living Centres to undergo refurbishment, with work underway at Westmoreland House in Harworth and Bircotes and improvements planned for Conway Gardens in Retford and Swallow Court in Misterton.
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