New care home to open later this year

The new care home being built on the former police station site along Central Avenue is set to open later this year.

And its residents will benefit from a range of facilities including Wi-Fi access, a beauty salon and plasma TVs.

Building work has started on the home by Helen McArdle Care, which will provide 56 rooms.

The group’s website says the new home is scheduled to open this Autumn, although a sign next to the building site says Winter 2016.

The plans were recommended for approval last September.

As first revealed by Aycliffe Today in March last year, Durham Constabulary agreed to sell the 1.1-acre site to Gateshead-based Helen McArdle Care.

The group, which runs 18 homes in the North East, applied last June to build a 56-bed home for people aged over 50 who need care.

McArdle Care’s website says: “Our new care home in Newton Aycliffe will offer many facilities, including plasma televisions in the lounges and some bedrooms, unlimited WiFi access, a beauty salon and direct dial telephones to every room.

“There will be beautifully landscaped gardens surrounding the building with lots of space for relaxation and activities.

“Throughout the care home there will be a large selection of bedrooms to suit every style and need, including rooms with direct access to the gardens.

“As with all our homes we adopt a small group living philosophy, with 24-hour care from experienced staff, creating a friendly home-from-home atmosphere.”

The demolition of the three-storey police station on Central Avenue, built in the 1960s, cost £86,000 and was completed last March.

The Newton Aycliffe Neighbourhood Police Team moved out of the Central Avenue station in February 2011 after the building was deemed unfit for purpose.

Plans to build a new station had to be scrapped after budget cuts and the Aycliffe officers spent more than two years at the HUB Workspace on Aycliffe Business Park, which proved unpopular with residents, before moving into the town’s fire station in December 2013.

Aycliffe Today first revealed the site had been sold to a care home group a year ago, and it was later confirmed by Durham Constabulary in May last year.