THE redevelopment of a care home in Melbourn has begun. Elderly residents at Moorlands, The Moor, will benefit from 35 self-contained flats, each with a bedroom, kitchen, shower room and lounge. The building, which has been partly designed by residents, t

THE redevelopment of a care home in Melbourn has begun.

Elderly residents at Moorlands, The Moor, will benefit from 35 self-contained flats, each with a bedroom, kitchen, shower room and lounge.

The building, which has been partly designed by residents, their families, and carers, will also have communal facilities, including a restaurant, lounge, a sensory garden, and an assisted bathroom, with staff providing 24-hour care.

Other communal rooms will be used for a range of activities, including arts and crafts lessons, film shows, exercise classes, and hairdressing.

Cambridge Housing Society (CHS) hopes they will help forge greater links with the community.

The new building, which will be built around the existing one so that residents and employees can transfer directly from one to the other before the demolition of the old building, should be completed by the summer of 2008.

Jo Mills, director of housing and care services said: "We are sure that the new building and facilities will provide excellent quality services to the residents."

The £8.5million scheme will also include 19 new homes on the site - eight three-bedroom houses, five one-bedroom flats, and six two-bedroom flats.

They will be put up for sale on the open market.