Leading partnerships developer Lovell has been selected by Cardiff Council to deliver the St Mellons Community Living project – a £17.2m design and build scheme consisting of high-quality, independent living accommodation for older people.
Situated on Crickhowell Road, on the site of the former Youth and Community Centre, the St Mellons Community Living project will provide a total of 60 one and two-bedroom, self-contained apartments for social rent.
The new apartments will be built to very high sustainability standards and be powered by solar panels to help ensure they are affordable to power and heat for tenants. A wide range of on-site communal facilities will also be delivered, including electric scooter charging points, bicycle storage, activity rooms, residents lounges, a health suite and landscaped gardens, enabling the new building to provide a hub of services for older people from within the wider community.
The scheme will form part of the St Mellons District Centre and be within walking distance of local shopping facilities and the St Mellons Hub.
Construction work is due to commence in January 2024, and is expected to be completed in summer 2025.
Over the course of the project, circa £350,000 worth of social value will be injected into the local community, which will include providing 884 apprenticeship weeks and work experience for young people.
James Duffett, regional managing director at Lovell, said: “We are very proud to be working with Cardiff Council to deliver the St Mellons Community Living project. This development will regenerate the brownfield site into a vibrant and sustainable new community, with much-needed homes and communal spaces for residents to enjoy.
“This is a great win for Lovell and forms an important part of our ambitious growth plans to deliver more affordable homes in Wales.”
Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Cardiff Council, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: “Our Community Living schemes are creating new modern homes for older people in the city to meet their needs and aspirations. St Mellons is one of 10 innovative schemes we have planned that will not only promote independent living but help tackle the severe housing pressures we’re experiencing right now.”
Lovell is a leading provider of partnership housing, and has been building communities for over 50 years. For more information, visit https://corporate.lovell.co.uk/.