Stepnell has commenced work on site at Lifestory Group's new independent living community for over 60s in High Wycombe, worth over £9million.

The Wooburn Green project has commenced in two stages, with enabling and demolition works previously carried out by Stepnell’s southern team in November 2020 following a successful two-stage tender process.

The four-storey building – which is due to complete in August 2022 and will be home to 44 high-specification apartments and a communal lounge to encourage socialisation among customers – will also benefit from external landscaping and a 37-space car park.

Rob Speirs, regional director at Stepnell, said: "We're incredibly excited to be supporting Lifestory to expand its offering across the region. This is our second project with the client after successfully completing Moor's Nook in Woking, so it's great to see that we’ve managed to secure yet another development with the business by providing a high-quality service.


"At Stepnell, we have a wealth of experience when it comes to residential builds and the team are experts in overcoming any problems faced to ensure each project is created on budget and on time.

"Logistically, Wooburn Green will present some challenges as there is limited access to the site and it is surrounded closely by neighbouring homes, so we will be taking a lot of time to put together a seamless workflow plan to prevent disruption. This will include carefully considered crane and material delivery times, as well as engaging with the local community to keep them updated on work progress through regular newsletter distribution."

Social value is at the core of Stepnell's company ethos, and its teams consistently aim to leave a lasting legacy in the communities it works within.

Rob continued: "Not only will we be working hard to cause as little disruption as possible, but we’re making sure that neighbours are kept updated on our works. We will also be helping to stimulate the local economy by employing labourers and subcontractors from the surrounding area to work alongside our southern team."

As well as bringing economic benefits, the development will help the community to reduce its carbon footprint following Stepnell’s installation of ground source heat pumps and non-conventional gas boilers, which will provide customers with access to sustainably sourced utilities.