Demolition underway ahead of retirement village

A joint-venture between Havering Council and Wates Residential has begun the demolition of a site in south Hornchurch in order to begin the construction of £1Bn modern retirement village.

The site on which the retirement village will be constructed used to consist of the Solar, Serena, and Sunrise Courts as well as sheltered accommodation whereas the new project, which comes as part of a wider £1Bn scheme, will create 172 high quality apartments for retired residents.

The overall scheme plans to create 5,000 high quality homes over the course of the next 12 to 15 years, doubling the amount of council rented accommodation and nearly doubling the amount of affordable housing,

The project has pledged to benefit the local economy by employing local suppliers and businesses, with the company, Downwell Demolition carrying out the demolition process.

The Development Director for Wates Residential, Kate Ives stated: “It is great that we have been able to celebrate demolition starting on the second site of our joint venture with Havering Council. The Solar, Serena and Sunrise Court site will deliver new high quality apartments, meeting the needs and aspirations of local people around retirement age.

“We are looking forward to continuing our work with Havering Council over the coming months as work progresses across the wider programme, which will deliver thousands of new homes as well as new skills and training opportunities for residents in Havering and the wider area.”

The Leader of Havering Council, Councillor Damian White added: “In Havering, we always put residents at the centre of everything we do. This new retirement village will create a safe haven for our older and more vulnerable residents, whilst ensuring they can live full and independent lives. With an ever-ageing population, it is vital that our borough-wide regeneration creates homes that meet the needs of the local community.

“I am pleased to see us reach another key milestone in our partnership with Wates Residential. The wider project will deliver a wealth of new homes across the borough, from specialist retirement homes like the Solar, Serena and Sunrise Court development, to much-needed family housing for local people.

“This comes alongside our promise to create a legacy which means our local communities benefit from the best possible job opportunities, schools and education, and health and leisure facilities.”

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