“The Future of Care” Disability Action Yorkshire Opens Assisted Living Development

10/04/2024

A new state-of-the-art assisted living property for disabled people was officially opened in Harrogate on Wednesday 10 April. The first phase of the St Roberts Grove development launched with Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and local MP, Andrew Jones cutting the ribbon.

The facility, which is owned by Highstone Housing Association with Disability Action Yorkshire providing care and support will ultimately consist of 35 individual flats (with 23 now open), with a focus on enabling tenants to live independently. Baroness Grey-Thompson welcomed attendees comprising residents of the current care home, community representatives and charity staff and trustees, before Mr Jones declared, “This is what the future of care looks like”, describing St Roberts Grove as an aspirational model for new assisted living developments, for younger adults, around the country.

Each fully accessible flat has its own kitchen, living area, bedroom and wetroom, with staff from the charity on site 24 hours a day to provide personal care and support based on individual needs.

Current customers of the charity will move into their new flats on Monday 15 April, with a phased occupancy of new tenants from the end of the month. The existing care home, located next door to St Roberts Grove is scheduled for demolition later in the year to allow for the final stage of development, with final project completion expected in Spring 2026.

Nick Moxon, resident at 34 Claro Road for over 14 years said “I’m very excited about the move, but a little apprehensive too! This will be a completely new experience for me and I’m determined to make the best of it.” 

Asked what his new flat means to him, Nick said “It will give me more independence. I’ll be able to let people into my flat myself, cook my own meals and organise my own life.”

The project, which has been in the making for seven years has overcome several challenges. Disability Action Yorkshire CEO, Jackie Snape said “The hardest task was finding land, and after a number of false starts we finally realised that our own land on which our current care home stands, along with a small piece of land owned by the council was the solution.” 

The charity partnered with West Yorkshire-based Highstone Building Services as the main contractor for the project. Jackie commented “We were really fortunate to be put in contact with Highstone following the pandemic and quite soon knew that we had found the right partners in this venture.”

“We are so excited that, finally, our ambition to be part of providing accessible housing is coming to fruition. Being a disabled person doesn’t mean that you have to live in a care home with a large number of people you haven’t chosen to live with; the right to a home of your own is one that should be extended to everyone.”