The £23 million contract is in the final stages of being agreed with Chevin Housing Association, part of The Together Housing Group, which is Derbyshire County Council’s chosen partner to build and manage three initial Extra Care schemes in Chesterfield, Alfreton and Clay Cross.

Willmott Dixon’s involvement strengthens its track record as one of the UK’s most prolific builders of extra care housing, with over 1,000 new units completed in the past five years or currently being constructed.

The company will work alongside Lathams Architects and PKF Financial to deliver the following extra care schemes:

• 55 two-bedroom apartments and communal facilities with parking and gardens at Foolow Court in Foolow Avenue, Chesterfield;
• 52 apartments and communal facilities on the Cressy Fields site in Cressy Road, Alfreton;
• 90 apartments with communal facilities and day care centre on former Clay Cross School site in Market Street in Clay Cross.

Planning permission has already been granted for the Foolow Court scheme, while the Market Street and Cressy Fields schemes are due for planning determination shortly.

The work will be carried out by Willmott Dixon’s Midlands-based office, where managing director Peter Owen said: “These schemes will really make a difference to the provision of state-of-the-art and affordable housing in Derbyshire, providing highly specialised, quality living space with 24/7 on site care where needed for older people across the county. It will also help support local communities by keeping people together and bringing new jobs and amenities to these areas.

“We’re delighted that Chevin have chosen us and look forward to applying the expertise and know-how from many years of building extra care homes to these exciting new projects in Derbyshire.”

Work is expected to begin on the first scheme in November, with the last of the three projects completed by the end of 2014.