A major milestone has been marked on a new £5 million retirement complex along the County Down coastline.

Belfast Central Mission (BCM) is delivering a project which will provide the highest standard of practice-leading dementia, nursing and residential care for up to 60 residents across two floors with each en-suite private room enjoying views across the rolling drumlin countryside or out towards the Irish Sea.

The company welcomed a number of key stakeholders to the Copelands site to see the completion of the complex's footprint, adding to the previously finished major ground floor brickwork, internal drainage, and concrete flooring.

BCM Chief Executive, Nicky Conway, said: "We are thrilled to be at this very exciting stage of the Copelands build. To see the structure take shape really gives a sense of the scale of the project and builds a tangible anticipation for all that is still to come.

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"Copelands will encompass everything needed to create a genuine home from home where people can enjoy fulfilling lives. We are in the process of recruiting a Nursing Manager who will lead the team here in delivering the highest possible level of care for our residents and provide that sense of reassurance for their families."

Downpatrick-based engineering contractors Hugh J. O'Boyle is spearheading the construction and build work, creating 40 jobs during the construction phase alone.

Designed by Northstar, Copelands will be built on the former site of BCM's two original care projects; Childhaven orphanage and later conference centre and the Craigmore children's home between Donaghadee and Millisle.

The project team will now work towards placing the roof on the structure to ensure the building is watertight to facilitate the interior design and fit out.

Copelands is scheduled to open in March 2020, with a long-term plan also in place for the site to incorporate a further phase of extra care housing which would see it become Northern Ireland's first Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC).

(CM)