Work to build 64 extra care homes in Mansfield will start next month after a contractor was appointed for the development.

Keepmoat was chosen on Monday to build the bungalows, houses and apartments on Brownlow Road by November 2015.

Mansfield District Council is working in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) to provide the £8.4m development.

The homes will enable older people with extra care needs to live as independently as possible and give them increased choice and control over their daily lives with care and support delivered as and when they need it.

The project will boost the local economy by creating jobs and training opportunities and through the use of local suppliers.

The council, which owns the land, has invested around £11m preparing the site and will contribute just over £3m towards the development.

The county council will provide up to £4m towards creating 48 of the extra care homes including 10 bungalows for people with low-level dementia.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has provided £1.3m in grant funding.

For people who want to down-size but remain a homeowner, there will be 10 shared ownership properties (five two-bed bungalows and five two-bed houses).

In addition to the homes, there will be a range of communal facilities including a multi-purpose activity room for social and health related activities to promote improved wellbeing. Smaller private spaces will be provided for assessment, treatment and advice for residents, carers and people from the surrounding community.

The redevelopment of the site will be managed by the district council and once completed the properties will be let by the district council to people nominated by the county council that have extra care needs.

Extra care is an extension to traditional supported housing where older people can live as independently as possible with the reassurance that care staff are on-site 24 hours a day.

The Executive Mayor of Mansfield, Tony Egginton, said: “I am delighted that work is due to start imminently on this exciting new development, which will enable older people to remain living independently in their own homes, while having more choice and control over their care. We are committed to regenerating the area, increasing the provision of new homes and supporting our most vulnerable residents.”

Councillor Muriel Weisz, Chair of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Adult Social Care and Health Committee, said: “It’s great news that we are about to start work to create this extra care development in Mansfield, which will give local older people an alternative to traditional residential care if they can no longer live at home.

“The fantastic thing about extra care is that it offers a home for life where older people have their own front door with the comfort of care staff being nearby if needed.

“This project forms part of our wider plan to create 160 additional extra care places across the county by March 2017.”