A brother and sister are set to open a new residential care home in Beccles next month after more than three years of development on the site.

Eastern Daily Press: The newly built care home is run by Cygnet Care. Picture: James Bass PhotographyThe newly built care home is run by Cygnet Care. Picture: James Bass Photography (Image: (C) JAMES BASS PHOTOGRAPHY)

Dell House on Nelson Way, will open their doors on March 22 after years of planning and construction.

Cygnet Care, who are based in Earsham, finalised the purchase with Suffolk County Council in 2015.

At the time they planned to build a new care home on the site, which had housed many local residents over the past 40 years.

Cygnet Care is owned and managed by the Blackham Family, who have running residential care services for the elderly for the past 40 years.

Eastern Daily Press: The newly built care home is run by Cygnet Care. Picture: James Bass PhotographyThe newly built care home is run by Cygnet Care. Picture: James Bass Photography (Image: (C) JAMES BASS PHOTOGRAPHY)

One of the directors, Robert Blackham said: 'This is a big step for what is a little company, but, as a team, this service competes with the larger corporate care providers.

'Our father who started the company was able to walk through the area but sadly he passed away in November,' Mr Blackham added, 'he was also very proud of where the company was going.'

The Dell is a particularly emotive for fellow Cygnet Care director and Mr Blackham's sister Sally Crawford, who worked as a care assistant at the Dell for around 23 years. It was the place where she trained and developed her career in care.

At the time of the development, she said: 'I have very happy memories of my time at The Dell and am very proud to think a small organisation like ours is taking on this responsibility of developing a new Dell.'

The multi-million pound project has seen the old site demolished and rebuilt.

The 60-bedroom development will specialise in caring for people with Alzheimer's, hearing impairment and deafness, Parkinson's disease, stroke and visual impairment.

On site there will also be palliative, respite and convalescent care - which is designed to be a more home-like environment.

Cygnet Care own other facilities across the region including homes in Poringland, Blofield and Earsham.

Mr Blackham said: 'We want Dell House to be a life-enhancing, happy and positive environment in which to live and work.'