South Ribble’s flagship Jubilee Gardens officially open

The Mayor of South Ribble, Councillor Paul Wharton-Hardman, and MP for South Ribble, Paul Foster, officially opened the £20.5 million Jubilee Gardens at a ceremony on Friday 5 September.

The first of its kind developed by South Ribble Borough Council and built by Caddick Construction, Jubilee Gardens comprises 75 apartments for over 55s with Extra Care needs. Extra Care housing is designed to support older people who may need help with daily living or personal care, while still enabling them to live independently. It offers a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment with access to on-site care and communal facilities, giving residents the freedom to enjoy their own space, with the reassurance that help is available if and when they need it.

The development features beautiful, landscaped gardens and communal areas along with commercial spaces for a community café and salon.

The complex provides modern living with extra care support, allowing for residents to live independently in their later years.

Leader of South Ribble Borough Council, Councillor Matthew Tomlinson, said, “I am so thrilled to celebrate the official opening of Jubilee Gardens.

“The facility is much needed as many residents in South Ribble will prefer to live in Extra Care housing like Jubilee Gardens because it allows them to stay in the area they’re familiar with, surrounded by friends, neighbours, and local services.

“I am proud that we have been able as a council to address the need and provide this high-class facility in the borough.

“We want to make sure people can continue to call South Ribble home whatever their stage of life and I have no doubt the residents that are set to move into Jubilee Gardens will find it a beautiful, caring and safe space to live.”

Northwest contractor, Caddick Construction, acted as the main contractor for the development, which began in 2023.

Throughout the duration of the build, Caddick Construction invested £6.6m into social value initiatives within the South Ribble community. These included a series of work placements, employment opportunities and vocational training for local people. A total of 70 people have been employed, including seven residents – four of whom were previously long-term unemployed, two rehabilitating ex-offenders, and one not in education or training. It has also provided 52 weeks of apprenticeship training, 52 weeks of other training opportunities, and six weeks of meaningful work placements. Staff have dedicated time to mentoring unemployed individuals and inspiring young people through school visits and career talks. In addition, over £4 million has been spent through the local supply chain, including £250,000 with small and medium-sized businesses. Contributions of £5,000 have been made to local community projects, alongside further investment to support health, wellbeing, and homelessness initiatives.

Dave Saville, Regional Managing Director at Caddick Construction in the North West, comments: “In the past few years we have seen demand for this model of specialised accommodation grow, and we are pleased to be able to bring our extensive expertise in high-quality, residential builds, and our local and reliable supply chain to deliver these much needed homes for the local community.”    

MP for South Ribble, Paul Foster, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have attended the opening of Jubilee Gardens Extra Care Facility. Caddick Construction have delivered an outstanding project.

“As leader of this superb council back in 2019, we developed and agreed the concept of this building and it is fair to say, every possible barrier to prevent us from delivering this was placed before us; cost, Covid construction and inflation to name but three. However, we remained undeterred and here we are today.

“Special thanks to Homes England for without their substantial support we would never have been in a position to undertake the project, and finally to the South Ribble project delivery team a huge thank you.

“You are responsible for delivering on time, on budget one of the best projects within South Ribble, in over a decade.

“I am immensely proud, it is a wonderful place to retire, with all the support required on hand.”

To be eligible for an apartment at Jubilee Gardens, applicants must be aged 55 or over, with priority given to those aged 60 and over. While many will require support with daily living or personal care, others may be more independent but benefit from the safer, more supportive environment the scheme offers. A strong local connection to South Ribble is essential, and all applicants will undergo a financial assessment to ensure affordability.

Those who are offered a place at Jubilee Gardens can expect to move in from this autumn.

You can find all the information, eligibility criteria, and commercial opportunities on the website at www.jubilee-gardens.co.uk.

Funding for the development has come from South Ribble Borough Council and Homes England.