23 October 2025
Milestone reached on £31m Extra Care scheme in South Tyneside
Main contractor Robertson Construction North East has reached a major milestone at the £31m Griffin Court Extra Care scheme in Hebburn, South Tyneside, with a ceremony to mark the completion of the steel frame.
Image (L-R):
Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council; Neil Kennedy, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction North East; and Foster Innes, Head of Construction, Karbon Homes.
Delivered in partnership between Karbon Homes and South Tyneside Council, the development will provide 95 high-quality apartments designed to promote independent living within a supportive community setting.
Construction of Griffin Court uses Modern Methods of Construction (MMS), employing an innovative light gauge steel frame system which brings together efficiency, safety and quality. Prefabricated panels are produced off site and assembled with millimetre accuracy on site. The system requires absolute precision at every stage, from design to construction.
This process means the build programme is faster, the site itself is cleaner and safer, and the potential for error during construction is significantly reduced.
To celebrate the completion of the steel frame, Robertson hosted a steel signing ceremony with representatives from Karbon Homes and South Tyneside Council, offering an opportunity to showcase progress and invite guests to sign a commemorative steel plaque that will be incorporated into the completed building as a lasting reminder of the milestone.
Designed by JDDK Architects, the development will comprise 20 two-bed and 75 one-bed apartments, including 17 specialist dementia apartments. The scheme has been carefully designed to support residents’ independence and wellbeing, with secure internal garden courtyards, intuitive layouts with no dead-end corridors to help with wayfinding, and a range of communal areas and shared spaces to encourage social interaction.
Key facilities will include a bistro café open to the public, a wellbeing suite with hair salon and treatment room, and multiple lounges and flexible activity spaces, helping to foster community connections when the scheme opens in late 2026.
Elliot Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Robertson Group, said: “Celebrating this milestone in the build is an exciting step towards the delivery of this high-quality Extra Care scheme. Our experience in using innovative Modern Methods of Construction allows us to deliver with efficiency, quality and value for our partners, and it’s great to see this approach shaping such a meaningful project.”
Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, said: “It’s really exciting to be marking this construction milestone and see this development taking shape.
“The design of this building means it’s right at the heart of the community, with a café and other spaces open to the public, and I think it’s going to be a real asset to Hebburn.
“This is really important to our residents, who’ve told us that they want to be able to continue to live independently for as long as possible rather than going into residential care.”
Zoey Hawthorne, Group Director of Development at Karbon Homes, said: “It’s great to be marking this milestone in progress for Griffin Court. The scheme is a fantastic example of what we can achieve through partnership working, providing much-needed new homes that meet the needs of not only of Hebburn residents, but of the wider South Tyneside borough.”
Karbon Homes has committed to delivering new homes for people requiring additional support needs through the delivery of Griffin Court which is being part-funded by Homes England, the Government’s housing delivery agency. The homes will be owned and managed by Karbon Homes with South Tyneside Council’s Adult Social Care team supporting with the allocation of the apartments.
As well as leading the construction, Robertson Construction North East was responsible for the technical design, drawing on its extensive experience in MMC particularly in hotel and student accommodation projects.
