Hull City Council has announced the appointment of a preferred contractor for an £84m project to design, build and run three Extra Care facilities in the city.

This is more good news for Hull who was the only local authority to retain Department of Health funding to deliver Extra Care accommodation after the government review of spending in 2010.

Two contractors have been fighting it out to build the apartments over the last year and submitted final bids towards the end of last year.

These were evaluated through a strictly controlled process to ensure fairness throughout and Riverside were duly appointed.

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Riverside is one of the leading social housing and regeneration organisations in the UK, owning or managing around 50,000 homes with around 2,600 staff and a turnover of £257million.

The next phase will see events in the communities at which local residents will be invited to view and comment on the plans from the successful contractor.

It is expected that contracts will be signed in October this year and building work will start following this, ready for residents to move into their new homes in 2016.

Councillor Helena Spencer, portfolio holder for the Prevention & Safeguarding Children & Young People and Adults said: "We are pleased to announce the appointment of Riverside as the contractor for this much needed and anticipated scheme.

"We look forward to working in partnership with Riverside to develop high quality facilities for vulnerable people across the city. It is important to us that under represented groups such as the elderly, those with dementia and those who need support to live independently, share in our city's success. We want to set an aspirational standard of supported housing provision and show how alternatives to residential care might work better for some in our communities."

(CD/MH)