The new Springfields residential development in Ashby is on course to be completed on time despite the Coronavirus lockdown.

The 65 supported living apartments – 15 for shared-ownership sale and 50 for rent - are now being advertised for anyone interested.

The development will provide a new community hub in a growing part of town at the site off Burton Road when it opens in Spring 2021.

But building work did not stop at the site even when the country was locked down by the Government in March.

The development is being built on behalf of emh care & support by emh group and Willmott Dixon.

Joanna Grainger, Executive Director of emh care & support, explained: "Willmott Dixon have been working on site throughout lockdown, and the target completion date has not changed.

"All emh group's other sites closed down for a time, but Willmott Dixon found safe solutions to all the obstacles created by lockdown and managed to plough on, meaning we are still on schedule for next Spring. Which is fantastic."

David Rowell is Senior Building Manager on the project, and he explained in more detail how work was able to continue during the peak of the pandemic: "Like other projects, we were at first worried about what would happen and how the situation and restrictions would affect progress.

"We especially felt this when some of our supply chain partners temporarily halted works, but we reviewed all roles on site and whether any could be carried out remotely. This led to asking our design and commercial teams to work from home, which allowed us to free up space in site offices, enabling desks to be placed more than two metres apart.

"Secondly, a range of social distancing safe practices were embedded on site.

"We marked out two-metre spacings, implemented one-way systems around bottlenecks, created dedicated hand-wash zones, and made sure hand sanitiser was plentiful. We also reduced strain on potentially crowded areas by staggering break and lunch times, as well as removing chairs from the canteen so that everyone sat more than two metres apart.

"Communication is key. We hold socially distanced daily briefings with our people and supply chain partners to reinforce regulations and update on new procedures. Supply chain partners are invited to engage in open and honest conversations about how they feel about their personal safety.

"If anyone shows symptoms of Coronavirus or needs to self-isolate, they are empowered to do so, and it is critical they abide by this directive."

Joanna went on to explain how the complex will serve the public and its residents: "Springfields is built on the site of an old spa, and we have taken inspiration from nature and history to create apartments dedicated to health and wellbeing, a place where light and space combine to create a feeling of starting afresh at a pace to suit your lifestyle.

"It is a unique development in that it is not age restricted. For people under the age of 55 the only requirement is that you have a care or support need, which could be as little as three hours a week. This makes it ideal for, say, younger people with learning or physical disabilities currently living with parents who want to become more independent and have their own home.

"For people aged over 55 there is no care requirement. You could simply want to downsize and enjoy the security of knowing there are staff on site should you ever need them. Or you may have care and support needs and your current home is no longer suitable, but you still want to maintain your independence and do not want to move into a care home."

The development also includes a bistro, a hair salon, and a beauty salon, all of which will be open to the public. Nearby will be a new school and a new GP's surgery, helping to create a vibrant community close to the town centre. This part of Ashby is growing with shops and new family housing. Springfields is at the heart of that growth.

You can find more information at the emh care & support website: