The redevelopment will include the construction of a 260 unit ‘independent supported living village’ for the Extra Care Charitable Trust. Enabling work has also started for a second phase 70 bed care home for The Royal Star & Garter charity.

When completed the development of the Hughenden Quarter will bring people back onto the brownfield site close to High Wycombe’s town centre and open up the Hughenden Stream to public access.

The site will provide purpose built residential accommodation for around 750 people including students and older residents. The third phase is planned as a new family restaurant/pub, a planning application for this is expected shortly.

Councillor Roger Wilson, Wycombe District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration commented: ‘The development of Hughenden Quarter is putting life back into this site and putting people back into the town.

Without the Council’s injection of investment it could have stayed as an empty piece of industrial wasteland. Instead, when this site is fully built out, it will be home for around 750 people. Putting people back into this central location has a double benefit – it creates more homes and it also creates new jobs right in the town centre.

The redevelopment of this large town centre site will release existing homes for local people by opening up more choices for older people who want to ‘downsize’, but still live in the town to stay close to local friends and family and the town’s amenities.‘

The former Broom Wade/Compair site in High Wycombe has been derelict for many years but needed a comprehensive vision to unlock its development potential.

The first phase of the development included clearing and preparing the site for construction and diverting Hughenden Stream as well as putting in a ‘spine road’ which runs from the Glenisters Way roundabout behind Morrisons up to Hughenden Avenue. The road will be initially used for construction access while the site is being built out before it forms an arterial route through the whole site.

Alongside the new road Wycombe District Council has redirected and opened up Hughenden Stream, a chalk stream which flows through the site before it feeds into the River Wye.

Over the years the stream had been inaccessible but will now be part of a new walking and cycling route connecting the town centre with the acres of green space at Hughenden Park. The link leads into the park via the Careys new homes development being built to the north of Hughenden Avenue.

Opening up Hughenden Stream forms part of Wycombe District Council’s ‘Return of the River’ long term vision to work towards bringing the town’s stream and rivers back to become a key feature in the town’s life and landscape.

Work has already started to build a new retirement village for over 300 local older people and is due to be completed in summer 2018.

Called Hughenden Gardens, the Village will provide 260 apartments for purchase and affordable rent, each home with its own front door. With a range of health and leisure facilities for residents to enjoy a healthy and independent lifestyle, Hughenden Gardens will include a shop, IT area, village hall hobby room, library and fitness suite. Qualified staff will be able to provide care for those who need support to remain independent in their own village home. Run by the Extra Care Charitable Trust, the village follows an award-winning model that combines homes, care and lifestyle as part of an inspirational community that welcomes visitors, both young and old.

On the northern end, fronting Hughenden Avenue, diggers have moved in ready to start building The Royal Star & Garter Homes’ care home for 73 residents. When completed in 2017 this new care home will provide specialist nursing care for disabled veterans, with dedicated support available for people living with dementia.