From early next year elderly Bedford residents will be able to benefit from the latest development housing association bpha is currently undertaking.

The new 55 unit development, Gordon Colling House, features both one and two bedroom apartments and is the first extra care scheme located in the Eastcotts area of Bedford.

The new development will offer residents the advantages of a tailored care package within their own home, providing them with the care and support they need to maintain an independent lifestyle.

Featuring the latest in modern living, Gordon Colling House boasts modern living quarters that are specifically designed for people with care needs, including colour-coded floor décor, handrails, wet rooms and living spaces large enough to accommodate mobility scooters and wheelchairs.

The new development is open to anyone interested in living in an extra care scheme and will be available for rent from April 2012.

John Cross, chief executive at bpha, said that the new development was aimed at providing older residents with a home for life that included all the support and care they might need.

“Our extra care units are extremely popular amongst older residents as they provide support and care within the resident’s own home,” he said.

“We’re aiming to create a real community feeling in this scheme and have provided lots of added features, including communal areas in which residents can meet, a hairdressing salon, a dining room, an activity room, landscape gardens, and local shops just down the road.”

“Residents will be provided with lunch each day, and there are excellent security features with emergency assistance available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.”

Earlier in the week, the Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson, toured the site, and offered contractors a helping hand laying some sedum turf, which is both eco-friendly and easy to maintain.

The Mayor also learnt more about the design features included in the apartments, such as different coloured tiles indicating basin areas and taps in both the bathroom and kitchen, to help residents with sight problems.

Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson, said: “Everything about this facility is designed to help people live independently for as long as possible. This project is a first for Bedford and is the way forward for assisted living.”

The building is named after Gordon Colling, who was chair of bpha’s board between 1989 and 2004, and a town, borough, and councillor throughout a long career of public service.

Anyone interested in applying to rent one of the 55 new properties available in April next year should contact Gina Thompson on 01234 716 420 for more information or visit www.bpha.org.uk