A MULTI-million pound pensioners' complex is being built on Teesside.

Trinity Court will include 42 self-contained extra care apartments, a laundry, bistro, shops and a hairdressers, as well as on-site care.

The Tees Valley Housing Group says it has chosen builder Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) and architect Browne Smith Baker to "deliver an ambitious retirement scheme'' at North Ormesby, Middlesbrough.

Tony Stafford, operations manager with FHM said: "By 2040, the number of people over 64 in Britain will have increased by 50 per cent to 15 million. Through schemes like Trinity Court, we are able to tackle the challenges facing national and regional government in the provision of care for our ageing population.''

Guy Holmes, a partner with Browne Smith Baker, said the scheme, due for completion in May next year, will be a benchmark by which future retirement projects will be measured.

Martin Hawthorne, group director of development services at Tees Valley Housing, said: "This is the largest retirement development we have undertaken, so it is essential for us to have the support of organisations that have significant experience with this area of business."