Stephen Lawrence Constructions was awarded the contract to build the 10-bed centre at the Mary Potter Nursing Home within the Forrest Centre.

The contract also includes expanding Shalom Place, which cares for people with dementia.

“This development will be central to the next period of service to the aged and terminally-ill members of our community,” said Peter Fitzpatrick, chairman of the Forrest Centre board of directors.

Forrest Centre chief executive, Evan Robertson, said the building contract was the culmination of three years of planning and hard work by a dedicated group of people.

A fund-raising appeal to help meet construction costs of the $5 million facility was launched in October last year and sits at just under $2m.