Contractor appointed to build new dementia day care facility in Mirfield

Tilbury Douglas, a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fit-out business, will start work by demolishing the existing Knowl Park House building, on Crowlees Road in Mirfield, this summer.

Construction will then begin on the new, single storey dementia day care facility which will include zones for well-being, home therapy and activities, as well as outdoor space that will house a potting shed and a greenhouse.

The space will be flexible to accommodate the physical disability, sensory and mobility needs of the people who use these services.

Tilbury Douglas will also build the co-located Kirklees Living Well Centre that will provide modern facilities to support, advise, develop and train family carers and care staff, partners, families and the wider community to maintain their independence in the community with a strong focus on the use of assistive and digital technologies.

Coun Musarrat Khan, cabinet member for health and social care, said: “I am delighted that we are taking the next steps to build modern facilities that will meet the needs of service users living with dementia in North Kirklees.

“It’s important that we invest in the well-being of our vulnerable and elderly residents and the new dementia day care facility is a vital space that will enable service users to live well for longer whilst providing much needed daily respite for carers.

“The new Kirklees Living Well Centre will complement day care facilities by taking full advantage of new assistive technology to enable users to live better and more independent lives.”

Paul Ellenor, regional director at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We are delighted and proud to have been selected by Kirklees Council as their partner to build and deliver this scheme.

"The new facility will greatly transform dementia care for the local community and provide staff, service users and healthcare professionals with a new exciting state-of-the-art environment.”

Knowl Park House and the Kirklees Living Well Centre have been designed to reflect dementia design principles as a result of Kirklees Council’s collaboration with the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre.

For more information, visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/knowlparkhouse