WORK to demolish a former Hampshire care home is on track.

The Nightingale Lodge site, in Romsey, is being cleared to make way for the building of modern extra care facility.

The new £11.2 million development will comprise 54 one and two-bed affordable flats for rent and shared ownership, a separate community space, and communal gardens with secluded courtyard areas.

It is expected that the former day centre area of the site will be cleared by mid June, with the demolition of the care home building due to start at around the same time, with completion anticipated by mid to late July.

Demolition contractors are due to leave the site by the end of July and hand over to the county council’s development partner for the project, a consortium led by Ashley House PLC. The building is expected to be completed by Autumn 2019.

Councillor Roy Perry, leader of Hampshire County Council – which is undertaking the scheme - said: “I am very pleased to see the progress being made in demolishing the old buildings, to make way for the brand new development.

“It really is good news that the earlier delays, largely caused by changes in national policy, are now behind us and it is all systems go.”

The scheme is part of major investment the council is making across Hampshire to provide extra care facilities for the area’s ageing population.

Planning chiefs approved the plans for the facility back in May 2017.

The total scheme will be undertaken by the county council and housing association Family Mosaic.