You may have seen the bright hoarding going up around the old ambulance Site at the top of Rye Hill, signifying that construction has started on building the new Community Day Centre.
Set for completion in October 2019, this modern facility had been designed to the highest eco standards with its BREEAM excellent rating for its energy-saving and green concepts including ground source heat pumps.
The interior design combines a large communal atrium and cafe; dining facilities; activity areas; therapy rooms and a garden for the use, enjoyment and engagement for all ages. It also forms an integral part of the Memorial Care Centre designed to provide the maximum number of services in the community to reduce the necessity for admission to the acute hospitals.
This announcement also coincides with the completion of all the legal negotiations with Greensleeves Care to take a 125 year lease to build and operate a 60 bed Residential Care facility due for completion in 2020. The ratio of allocation will be 75% private and 25% community beds. Planning permission has been granted and construction will start in early summer 2019.
When all the development work is complete the Rye Memorial Care Centre will provide primary care from the GP surgery serving its 7500 patients; intermediate care from its 19 in-patient bed community hospital; extra care from the 55 Units operated by Sanctuary Housing; 60 bed residential care by Greensleeves Care, and day care operated by the charity.
The Rye Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital Ltd is the charity that owns the freehold of the entire site and their trustees have worked patiently over so many years to raise the funds and deliver these opportunities.
Barry Nealon its Chairman says:” We are delighted that the planning and legal discussions are now complete and our new facilities are starting to come out of the ground.”
Paul Newman, Chief Executive of Greensleeves Care, the award winning care provider says “Let’s now crack on and deliver outstanding care to the people of Rye and District.”
Source: Rye Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital
Image Credits: Dunn Architects Ltd .