Ceremony marks completion of building work on new Mildenhall Lodge care home

Company news

Nov 22, 2013

Suffolk County Council and Care UK marked the completion this week of the building and roof work on the spacious new Mildenhall Lodge care home and wellbeing centre in St John’s Close in the town. They were joined by a group of Great Heath Primary School Year 6 pupils and the school’s Chair of Governors Jill Wheble, who were delighted to return to their former school site to see the progress of the new care home development. The school moved to its new building on Girton Close in 2012.

Steve Vincent, Headteacher at Great Heath Primary School, said: “It is fascinating to see how quickly the care home has been built and it is wonderful that the site which was previously for young people is now going to be used by older members of the local community. We look forward to meeting our new neighbours when the home opens in summer 2014.”

The new home is part of a county-wide £60 million investment programme in ten similar care homes and wellbeing centres. It will provide 24 hour nursing and specialist dementia care and has a new wellbeing centre which is a new facility for the town and will offer day clubs, specialist services and activities for older people in Mildenhall.

Councillor Alan Murray, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care, said: “It is great news that another of the new homes is nearing completion. The development of the new home and wellbeing centre will mean that the people of Mildenhall and the surrounding areas will be able to access high quality care and support in purpose built surroundings – this has been the county council’s objective from the start.”

The new home has 60 spacious ensuite bedrooms designed for safety and accessibility, as well as first class facilities including a small hairdressing salon, cinema, café and landscaped gardens for residents to enjoy. It is the second care home and wellbeing centre to reach the topping out stage in the county-wide plan after Asterbury Place in Ipswich which was topped out in October and is also due to open next summer.

Chris Hopkinson, Care UK’s Regional Operations Director, said: “We are delighted to mark this important milestone for the Mildenhall community with Suffolk County Council. The next stage will be the completion of interior work before equipping and furnishing the home and wellbeing centre to the very highest standards, ready to welcome the first residents and the first customers of the new day care services next summer.”

Residents of Wamil Court in Mildenhall will have the opportunity to move into Mildenhall Lodge and they and their families are being fully consulted about their options. Wamil Court, which was built in 1973, will close once all the residents have moved. 

Care UK was selected by Suffolk County Council in April 2012 to help it meet the rising demand for older people’s care. The numbers of older people aged over 75 with dementia in Suffolk is expected to grow by nearly 100% between now and 2030, from 8,600 to 17,000.

For more information on Mildenhall Lodge or other Care UK developments across Suffolk visit: www.careuk.com/suffolk-new-homes or call 0333 321 0956.