Topping out ceremony for new £10million care home in Yeovil

11:00am Monday 19th October 2009

By Steve Sowden

THE Yeovil Mayor, Cllr Wes Read, will tomorrow lay the final roof tile at a "topping out ceremony" at the new Hendford Care Home.

He will perform the duty at 10am tomorrow in front of invited guests from the local community to signal the next stage of the building work at the new care home being built at the top of Hendford Hill near the Quicksilver Mail pub.

The pioneering project, the first 21st century care facility in Yeovil designed and project managed by local chartered building surveyor Alan Young, is being constructed by Chard-based building contractors, award-winning R G Spiller, who has extensive experience in the healthcare sector on behalf of owners/developers Aurora Care Ltd.

R G Spiller with further offices in Durrington and more recently Exeter, won a Considerate Constructors ‘2009 National Bronze Award’ this year at The Guildhall London.

Funding for the development was provided by Aurora Care’s existing bankers, The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Phase one of the £8–10-million development is expected to be complete in January 2010 with further care related buildings being constructed on the site following completion of the first nursing home.

Hendford Care Home will offer 40 beds for much needed nursing, palliative and dementia care to the elderly population of Yeovil and South Somerset with 24-hour registered nursing staffing.

Aurora Care already operates Hurst Manor Nursing Home based in Martock which won ‘The Caring Business Pinder Award for Best Development’ last year.

The awards aim to promote and recognise the very best developments in all types of care related property.

Aurora Care's managing director, Michael Lawson, said: “It was important for us to utilise a local contractor and consultant and we are delighted with how the project is progressing.

"We already run the award winning Hurst Manor in Martock and our aim is to create a state of the art care facility in Yeovil.

"Our website has a live webcam from the site which shows how the development is progressing and we are actively encouraging the local community to become involved and by leaving their comments."

When complete the full facility will create in excess of 100 jobs and anyone interested in this aspect should visit the website www.auroracare.co.uk or click on the link in our "related articles" section on this page of our website.

Regional head of healthcare, Gloucestershire for RBS, Tony Kear, said: "This is a fantastic project and we were really pleased to be able to offer the funding needed.

"We’ve worked closely with Michael Lawson over the past two years to develop a market facing care home, exceeding the required National Minimum Standards and to provide the flexible finance facility which has included the land purchase and full development costs.

"We have previously supported the expansion and reconfiguration of Michael’s existing home - Hurst Manor in Martock - and it’s great to see the expanded Group go from strength to strength with this new development.

"We look forward to seeing the finished home which will provide much needed care beds in the area.”

Andrew Howard, managing director of R G Spiller, added: "This is a very exciting development providing a much needed care facility in the region.

"The ecological credentials of the building will include solar panels for water heating, outstanding thermal insulation and hotel standard sound insulation.

"We are working closely with the client to ensure that this project meets all of their specific requirements and high standards.”

Alan Young, chartered building surveyor, said: “I am delighted to be entrusted with the design of this prestigious care facility in Yeovil.

"This has been a challenging but exciting project to work on, from inception and initial design stage through to completion.

"The building is situated on one of the highest sites in the Yeovil area, with an outstanding view of the Yeovil and the surrounding countryside.

"The building has been designed to blend in with and reflect the local architectural style, and takes into consideration its prominence both on the skyline and at the junction of major approach roads.

"Much thought has been given to using the latest technology and materials in terms of sustainability and building performance."