Plans to expand nursing home to meet demand

WORK to extend a Steeton nursing home has started after planning approval was granted for the first phase of development which will create dozens of new full-time jobs.

Czajka Care Group’s Currergate facility currently has 34 fully occupied rooms, and it will now invest £1.5m in the development and refurbishment of the home.

Rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission, Currergate first opened in 1982 and has been owned and run by the Czajka family for 20 years.

The team of 53 provide day care, respite care, full-time care and endof-life care.

Czajka Care Group’s managing director Konrrd Czajka said:

“The main aim of our exciting development is to increase the capacity of our nursing home and ensure its long-term viability.

“We believe these carefully thought through plans will also improve the appearance of the west wing by replacing the existing pink coloured artificial stone with a more complementary natural stone, amongst several other benefits.

“Our designs are sympathetic to the appearance and special interest of Currergate and have been carefully considered at every stage.

“By removing the inappropriate artificial stone, we will be making the building right again and we are delighted to have started work on the project.

“This development will give our wonderful nursing home a secure and sustainable financial future as part of a significant investment into this historic building that we have owned and loved for 20 years.

“We believe we will create at least 25 full-time jobs and help address the chronic shortage of beds for both private and local authority funded residents.”

Built originally in 1912, the now listed building was originally built for Norman Dixon Walker and his wife Edith Maude.

He was the wealthy owner of Dixon & Sons; a firm of bobbin manufacturers and timber merchant that was based in Steeton at Bobbin Mill.

The new development will see extensions and alterations to the building’s existing west wing, and the partial demolition and rebuilding of an east extension, to provide additional accommodation and improved facilities for residents.

The design includes a first floor and side extension to the existing single storey west wing, which will be attached to the historic building via a first-floor glazed link.

The existing two-storey extension to the east of the building will be demolished and replaced with a larger three storey extension.

All the rooms will be state-of-the-art and include disabled friendly en-suite bathrooms.