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A successful scheme that has helped hundreds of people to remain living independently in their communities across North Yorkshire - including Harrogate and Scarborough - is marking its landmark 20th anniversary.

The Extra Care programme was first launched in North Yorkshire in 2003 and there are now 28 housing schemes, with properties for rent and to buy, across the county.

In total, 1,500 older and disabled people have benefited from the Extra Care project in the last two decades allowing them to remain living in the places they know and love.

Current sites include villages such as Bainbridge and Castleton as well as towns including Harrogate, Scarborough, Selby and Skipton.

Happy 20th anniversary - North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for health and adult services, Coun Michael Harrison, left, and the corporate director for health and adult services, Richard Webb, with staff and residents at North Yorkshire’s first Extra Care site, The Orchards, in Brompton, near Northallerton.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for health and adult services, Coun Michael Harrison, and the authority’s corporate director for health and adult services, Richard Webb, joined residents and staff at the county’s first Extra Care site, The Orchards, in Brompton, near Northallerton on Monday for its 20th anniversary.

Speaking afterwards, Coun Harrison said: “This type of housing is at the heart of our support for older and disabled residents, as well as having a wider impact in making our towns and villages good places in which to live and work.”

A total of £9 million has been invested in Extra Care facilities in North Yorkshire in the past few years.

Twenty years ago, the original plan was for 20 sites opened by 2025 and that figure is now expected to be as high as 30 schemes.

Accommodation varies from site to site, offering homes for outright purchase, shared ownership or rent, in different combinations.

In general, one and two-bedroomed bungalows are available.

Extra Care’s success has been due to a partnership between local government, the Government’s Homes England agency, which is responsible for housing investment, and local housing associations and developers.

North Yorkshire Council is now looking to work with housing association partners to plan and build new Extra Care schemes.

The Orchards in Brompton provides a combination of apartments and bungalows, with a range of support services and other amenities for residents and is managed by Broadacres Housing Association.

Celebrating 20th anniversary of scheme that’s enabled 1,500 older people to remain living independently in North Yorks