A £4M development to provide housing for older people in Billingham has been completed.

Winford House, in the town centre, boasts 38 one and two-bedroom apartments, for over 55s who will have an onsite care support service.

The investment by Housing Hartlepool provides affordable accommodation to help older people remain independent.

The supported housing scheme, which was built by Keepmoat, features a communal lounge and garden, assisted bathroom, car park, a storage area for mobility scooters and wheelchairs, as well as offices and facilities for members of support staff.

Appliances including ovens, fridge-freezers and washer-dryers come as standard with the apartments, which also include a walk-in shower and warden call system to give residents the freedom to live independently, safe in the knowledge that help is nearby if required.

Housing Hartlepool, part of the Thirteen Group, has developed Winford House in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council with support from Hartlepool and Stockton Clinical Commissioning Group. The Homes and Communities Agency supported the scheme with a £457,500 grant.

Some of the properties are for affordable rent, and five are being sold outright, with another five available for shared ownership.

Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said: “There is a strong need for independent accommodation for older people across the Borough and Winford House will give local people greater choice and the opportunity to continue to live independently in their own homes for longer.”