Sensory Garden at Heart of Magenta Living’s First Extra Care Scheme in Wirral | News

Sensory Garden at Heart of Magenta Living’s First Extra Care Scheme in Wirral

A sensory garden designed to improve quality of life for people with dementia is just one of the features being developed at Barncroft, Magenta Living’s first Extra Care Scheme in Wirral, which is now under construction.

Work has started on site at the £3.4 million development in Pensby, the first dedicated independent living scheme for over 55s to be built in the Wirral by Magenta Living, the borough’s largest registered housing provider.

Magenta Living launched its Extra Care offer in 2017 with the completion of its multi-million pound Hartley Place facility in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

The housing provider’s new Wirral-based Extra Care scheme will help to address demand for high-quality over 55s accomodation in the borough and is part of Magenta Living’s ongoing bid to broaden its customer offer and meet a variety of supported, affordable and social housing needs in the local area.

Construction is also underway on an over 55s apartment development at Magenta Living’s Clifton Avenue site in Eastham, following the demolition of a vacant block of flats. The flats will be replaced by a new mixed tenure scheme, comprising shared ownership houses and homes for rent in addition to the over 55s housing.

The Barncroft Extra Care scheme in Pensby, which is being built by Anwyl Construction, will feature a range of communal spaces and facilities to help combat social isolation and support well-being for residents. Along with 21 individual apartments and the sensory garden, the independent living community will include a shared lounge, an assisted bathroom and a garden room. Residents will benefit from a range of 24 hour on-site support services, with flexible care packages available to suit individual needs. The scheme has been designed by Manchester-based Pozzoni, an architecture practice with specialist experience in the creation of dementia care environments.

John Siddell, Head of Development at Magenta Living said, “These latest developments underline our strategic goal of building new homes, as well as investing in our current housing stock. We’re working hard to meet a variety of housing needs across the Wirral and beyond, and catering to the needs of people over 55 is a key focus for us.

“As we deal with the challenges posed by an ageing population, it will become increasingly important to have high-quality supported housing developments like Barncroft available. And, it’s essential to ensure that newly created communities- like the one we’re developing at Clifton Avenue in Eastham, support a broad spectrum of ages, to help promote social inclusion and limit the risk of loneliness – a growing concern amongst the older population. Above all, Magenta Living is committed to supporting vibrant homes, lives and neighbourhoods, and we know our new schemes will achieve all of these things.”

Magenta Living is a not-for-profit housing provider, owning and managing nearly 13,000 properties. The organisation has invested over £200 million in its properties over recent years and has ambitious plans to build over 2,000 new properties for rent and outright sale over the next five years.