Grand opening for Riverside Heights in Darwen

Residents of Riverside Heights and the adjacent bungalows joined with guests from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Together Housing and other partners to celebrate the grand opening of this specialised housing with care development in Darwen.

Riverside Heights enables older people to continue to live independently in the comfort of a safe and secure environment. It has 85 stylish self-contained apartments available to rent, with a range of additional facilities including a residents’ lounge, restaurant, hair and beauty salon and secluded gardens.

Addressing the guests, Leader of the Council, Cllr Mohammed Khan, said:

We recognised some time ago that there was a need for specialised accommodation and care for older people in Darwen, and we made it a priority to meet the needs of our vulnerable adults. There were challenges to overcome especially with funding, but with our clear vision and strategy we and our partners, Together Housing and ENGIE, the regeneration specialist, have worked hard to deliver this first class £14 million development.

I have visited the development at all its milestones, from the first ground-breaking, the topping-out ceremony when the roof was completed and now I’m very proud to be here for the grand opening. I’m sure Riverside Heights will serve its residents and the local community for many, many years to come.

Sue Lewis, Together Housing Group Head of Supported Housing, added:

With the Council and ENGIE, we wanted to make Riverside Heights and the bungalows great places to live. Older age shouldn’t be a barrier to enjoying life. Our housing with care schemes bridge the gap for people who might not be able to manage on their own but don’t need traditional residential care.

It’s clear from the grand opening that a great community spirit is developing here. I credit the Council and the staff of Together Housing for their determination to make this development happen, turning a vision into reality and creating a hugely valuable extra housing offer for local people.

Margaret (54), who lives at Riverside Heights with her husband, praised their new home saying:

I love it here. We watched the development being built from its foundations and we’re so pleased we had the opportunity to move here. Our quality of life now is absolutely fantastic, we feel safe and secure, and the care staff are little angels. We were isolated and lonely where we lived before, but here there’s always someone to talk to or you can be in your apartment if you wish. Moving to Riverside Heights has changed our lives.

To apply to Riverside Heights or find out more, contact Blackburn with Darwen Adult Social Services on 01254 587547.