Cabinet Members were among the visitors to a celebratory event in Mountain Ash, held jointly with Codi Group, to mark the start of construction work as the Council invests in a modern care accommodation for older people.
Councillor Gareth Caple and Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE were among the visitors to the work site, located on land off Darran Road – where 25 Extra Care apartments, 15 dementia residential care beds, and eight ‘Later Living’ bungalows are being built. Contractor JG Hale Group started initial site preparation work in January 2026. The main construction phase is anticipated to get underway soon.
A celebratory event took place on site on Thursday, March 19, where visitors took part in a traditional ‘ground-breaking’ to mark the start of construction work. The spades in the ground signify a key milestone towards this new development being completed by the end of 2027.
Minimal disruption is expected for the wider community during construction work, and while the development might bring increased traffic locally, this will be managed by the contractor’s site team to limit the impact. The project will also be registered as a Considerate Constructors Scheme and the Council’s contractor will ensure it adheres to these important values at all times.
Alongside the new buildings that are being constructed, the wider scheme also includes access, parking and landscaping works within the development site boundary. Biodiversity has been promoted within the development’s design, and includes features that will support sustainable urban drainage.
Councillor Gareth Caple, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Social Care, with responsibility for Adult Services, said: “This very exciting project in Mountain Ash will deliver a mix of care accommodations within a single, modern site that we can all be proud of – catering for extra care, dementia care, and ‘Later Living’. I was delighted to join the recent ‘ground-breaking’ event with the Council’s partner Codi Group, and contractor JG Hale Group, to celebrate the initial works getting underway and to look forward to the transformation of the site over the weeks and months ahead.
“Modern care accommodations like these make a huge difference to the lives of older people, as we see every day in our extra care housing in Aberaman, Talbot Green and Graig. They provide 24/7 assistance and targeted care to meet assessed needs, taking place in bright, modern surroundings where there’s lots going on. They’re now established hubs providing residents with meaningful interaction, with a sense of community created within the building.
“The Council is committed to further expanding residential care options for older people in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Our fourth extra care site in Porth is almost ready to welcome its first residents as construction work comes to its completion, while we’re currently building a specialist care accommodation in Gelli for people with learning disabilities in adulthood and older age. Plus, we’re developing plans for a purpose-built dementia care facility in Ferndale and an accommodation for people with learning disabilities in adulthood in Church Village – both of which we’re committed to delivering in the future.
“I’d like to thank residents in Mountain Ash for their cooperation during the project off Darran Road. Initial activity got underway in January, and that will shortly be followed by the main construction phase. We’ll work closely with Codi Group and our contractor to minimise disruption, and I’m looking forward to returning at key milestones to see how the site is changing.”
Rhys Parry, Director of Development (East) from Codi Group, said: “Codi Group is very pleased to be working in partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and JG Hale Group to deliver this important new development for Mountain Ash. Schemes like this play a vital role in supporting people to live well as they get older, offering high-quality homes alongside the care and support residents may need.
“At Codi, we’re committed to creating homes and communities where people can thrive, and this development will provide a welcoming and supportive environment for residents while also becoming an important part of the local community. We’re looking forward to seeing the project progress over the coming months and ultimately welcoming the first residents when it completes.”
Find out more about the Council’s past, ongoing and future schemes on our Residential Care Investment Projects homepage on the Council’s website.
Posted on 20/03/2026