Topping out at Brooke Mead housing scheme
Councillor Anne Meadows, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council's Housing and New Homes Committee, took part in a 'topping out' ceremony at the council's new Brooke Mead extra care housing scheme in Albion Street, Brighton,on Friday June 17.
The ceremony marked the completion of the top storey of the concrete frame of the development of 45 flats and community facilities.
Brooke Mead will provide 24 hour on site care and support for older people and those suffering from dementia when it is completed in summer 2017. Facilities will include two communal activity rooms, a cafe, lounge, courtyard garden, and laundry room.
The development is part of the council's New Homes for Neighbourhoods programme which is aiming to build at least 500 new council homes on council-owned land, to provide much needed affordable housing in Brighton & Hove. (See notes to editors)
Construction of Brooke Mead is providing employment and training opportunities and apprentice Rory Bedding joined Cllr Meadows to plant a tree to mark the topping out.
Cllr Meadows said: "It is great to see this extra care housing scheme taking shape, which will enable residents to maintain their independence, while having round the clock support available if they need it.
“Even though we can only see the shell of the building, there is an air of excitement as we see its construction progress and I have every expectation that this will be an amazing scheme once it is complete”.
The development will meet the latest standards in design for age-friendly and wheelchair accessible housing.
Notes to editors:
Construction of Brooke Mead is being carried out by Willmott Partnership Homes on behalf of Brighton & Hove City Council.
In the construction industry planting an evergreen tree to mark the ‘topping out’ of a building is used to symbolise good luck and bringing life to the building. The tree will be planted in Brooke Mead’s communal garden when building work is complete.
New Homes for Neighbourhoods
The New Homes for Neighbourhoods programme is aiming to build at least 500 new council homes by 2020. The Brooke Mead scheme is one of seven schemes currently under construction within the programme, which will be delivering 125 homes over the next 16 months and many more in the coming years.
Further information:
Brighton & Hove City Council press office 01273 293033
press@brighton-hove.gov.uk