Handover ceremony marks completion of £9.5m Shrewsbury independent living apartments

The Mayor of Shrewsbury was among the guests taking their first look at ShireLiving’s brand-new Shrewsbury apartments for local over-55s, as developer Lovell officially handed over the scheme to The Wrekin Housing Trust.

A celebration event on Friday 24 February, gave visitors the chance to tour the £9.5 million Withywood development on Ellesmere Road, which has created 69 contemporary one and two-bedroom apartments for affordable rent, together with high-quality communal facilities including a residents’ lounge and coffee bar, roof terrace, landscaped gardens and a restaurant/café, which will also be open to the public.

Following the completion of work by leading Midlands developer, Lovell, the new apartments will be the sixth innovative scheme to be developed by The Wrekin Housing Trust and Choices under the ShireLiving name and the first of its type to offer affordably rented apartments in Shropshire (outside of Telford and Wrekin). The state-of-the-art complex has created much-needed homes to meet the demands of an ageing population and offers peace of mind and security to those looking for a hassle-free retirement, providing smart and stylish accommodation and security from 24-hour staff who offer flexible care and support if required.

Managing director for The Wrekin Housing Trust, Wayne Gethings, says: “It’s fantastic to see the completion of these much needed apartments. By 2030 there will be over 100,000 people in Shropshire over the age of 65 and we will also see a rise of 86% in people aged over 85. Withywood is an example of our commitment to build quality, purpose designed homes that make our lives easier to manage as we get older and will be joined by schemes in Oswestry and Bicton later this year. Our developments in Staffordshire and Telford have been very successful and proved very popular.”

Lovell regional managing director, Stuart Penn, says: “We were delighted to welcome the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Cllr Ioan Jones, to help mark the completion of this exceptional development, our first independent living scheme for The Wrekin Housing Trust. Lovell has a strong record of building high-quality homes for older residents and has brought this expertise to Withywood by creating flexible and stylish, well-planned interiors. With the population now living longer, the availability of this style of modern accommodation enabling people to live independently and enjoy an excellent quality of life, but access support when they need it, becomes increasingly important.”

The Mayor of Shrewsbury, Cllr Ioan Jones – who is currently chairperson of Age Concern Shrewsbury and who was previously Shropshire’s first Champion for older people – adds: “I welcome the development of community living for older people which provides them with security, companionship and the reassurance of assistance being close at hand. Withywood’s location will also enable residents to access the town easily.”