LACE Housing has officially opened its £2m affordable housing development in Skegness.

Specialist Lincolnshire-based housing provider LACE Housing has officially opened its brand new £2m affordable housing development in Skegness, which includes its first ever holiday apartment.

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership provided a grant to help fund the development.

Chapman Court, comprising 17 affordable retirement apartments and a holiday home for older people, is situated on Scarbrough Avenue in Skegness and was formally unveiled today (Tuesday 12th September).

The development, which is LACE Housing’s first new scheme in Skegness for 20 years, replaces the former Sea Breezes Residential Care Home which had been derelict for two years and is named in memory of the late Ron Chapman.

Ron was an experienced lifeboat crew member, serving Skegness RNLI for 39 years, and the RNLI is LACE Housing’s chosen charity for 2017.

David Dexter, Vice Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “I was very pleased to be able to join LACE Housing in celebrating the opening of this development.

“The grant was part of our Unlocking Rural Housing programme, which we developed because we recognise the importance of housing to the local economy, and the contribution which housing makes to growth.”

Members of Ron’s family attended the opening, during which guests had the opportunity to view retirement accommodation.

Ray Chapman, Ron’s son, said: “It’s a massive honour to have our family name attached to this development and to have so many of the Skegness lifeboat team in attendance today. Working on the lifeboat was the biggest part of dad’s life, I just wish he could have seen this, it makes me so proud.”

As part of the unveiling, Chief Executive of LACE Housing Nick Chambers welcomed more than 70 visitors to the site as well as representatives from funders East Lindsey District Council, the Homes and Communities Agency and the Herbert William Sollitt Memorial Trust.

The design and construction of the new premises was carried out by Lincolnshire construction company Lindum.