A £5m showpiece development to create homes for older people near Hexham town centre is making progress.

Work to prepare sheltered accommodation at St Cuthbert’s Close for demolition got under way in August and the work is due to be completed by December.

Landlord Karbon Homes, formerly Isos, is planning to replace the 40 year old structure with 38 modern apartments for older residents.

The project has also seen the demolition of two other Karbon Homes properties, a pair of semi- detached houses which previously sat between St Cuthbert’s Close and Hencotes.

This will make way for the creation of a new entrance for the development on Hencotes, which proved controversial during the planning process due to concerns over road safety.

However, officials at Karbon say the new access will better link the residents to the facilities in the town centre and allow easy access for visitors.

The existing St Cuthbert’s Close building dates back to the 1970s and was made up of bedsit flats which no longer meet modern standards.

The new homes, which were given the go-ahead by planners in March, will feature a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments available for rent, to buy or for shared ownership.

Construction is expected to begin in March next year.

Development and regeneration manager for Karbon Homes, Vince Walsh, said: “This is an important site, close to the centre of Hexham, and we are aware of our responsibility to redevelop it in an appropriate manner.

“We are working closely with our contractor, MGL, to ensure the demolition process goes as smoothly as possible and that we minimise disruption for neighbouring properties.”

The new properties on the St Cuthbert’s Close site form part of Karbon Homes’ regionwide development programme, which is expected to see the landlord deliver 2,400 new homes over the next four years.

Watch a video of the demolition below.