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Time capsule plans for extra care

DATE: 12 June 2008

Aspire Housing has been working with Knutton St Mary’s Primary CE School this week, to involve pupils in the plans for Newcastle’s first extra-care village development on Lower Milehouse Lane, Knutton.

Year 2 pupils had already been to visit the site and this week were given information about the new development, Mill Rise, and shown plans and designs of what the village will look like. They also prepared items to be included in a time capsule that will be buried at the site.

Parents and members of the community joined the children in the afternoon on Friday 13th June, to celebrate their efforts during the week and to see the time capsule and its contents. The pupils will also hold an assembly on Monday 16th June to tell the other children about the development and their involvement.

Julia Downs, Extra Care Project Manager at Aspire Housing, is delighted with St Mary’s involvement and progress of the development.  She said: “It’s fantastic to have a local school on board with the delivery of this exciting project. The children have thoroughly enjoyed the activities throughout the week and have come up with some brilliant suggestions for the time capsule contents.

She continued: “The site is progressing well with the steel framework in place and we are well on track for our planned completion date in the spring of next year.”

Aspire Housing will provide 60 apartments, with a mix of one and two-bedroom accommodation. Working with the NHS North Staffordshire and Prima 200 North Staffordshire are working to provide the over 55s with the opportunity to continue living independently in their own homes. People will have the opportunity to rent or to part-buy property.

NHS North Staffordshire is developing a state-of-the art health centre at the village that will host a pharmacy.

The health centre will act as a base for the three local GP practices in the Knutton and Cross Heath areas, offering services to all residents of these and surrounding areas. NHS dental services will be made available from the centre, to address the specific dental health needs of the local ppopulation. In addition the new centre will host physiotherapy, chiropody and podiatry services together with a range of community nursing services.

Mill Rise will be set in beautiful landscaped surroundings and is being developed within the LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) scheme by Prima 200 in partnership with Aspire Housing and NHS North Staffordshire. It is being built to high design and environmental standards and will act as a catalyst to the wider regeneration of the Knutton and Cross Heath area.

The Mill Rise development is part of the RENEW North Staffordshire programme in Knutton and Cross Heath. It will host a number of other services, including a pharmacy, hairdresser, restaurant, hobby room and many others.

For any further information about Mill Rise, contact Julia Downs by email at jdowns@aspirehousing.co.uk or call her on 01782 635 200.

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