The £21 million retirement community features 72 one and two bedroom apartments offering home ownership and independent living with a range of communal facilities including a lounge, bistro, health and wellness suites, guest accommodation and staff rooms. There is also above and below ground car parking.

Jason Ludlow, Director of Production for Higgins Partnerships comments, “Later Living developments are a fundamental part of the housing mix to relieve the pressure on communities as the number of people over the age of 65 in the UK continues to grow. As a Group we have a wealth of experience creating high quality developments in this sector and we are delighted to have worked in partnership with Anchor to deliver St Andrews Park.

“Throughout our time at St Andrews Park we have also worked closely with the local community, providing a range of training and apprenticeship opportunities as well as donating books to St Andrews Primary School through Little Box of Books, which helps improve school literacy and provide books that prioritise diversity and inclusion for children.”

Julia Cracknell Development Delivery Manager at Anchor said: “The completion of Atlas Lodge brings us closer to delivering our target to provide 5,700 new homes in the next 10 years. Our aim is to provide modern homes for older people, where they can access social activities and wellbeing services in beautiful surroundings. We are looking forward to welcoming residents to their new homes where they can love living in later life.”

The apartments at St Andrews Park are surrounded by landscaping, with dense evergreen shrubs planted to filter views of the building along with a residents’ communal garden with seating areas and raised planters. To the south of the development there is also ornamental planting which will provide seasonable interest and enhance the building facades. Every apartment has a large balcony and some also benefit from roof terraces.

The architect for the project is Tooley & Foster Partnership.

For further information about Higgins please visit www.higginspartnerships.co.uk For further information about Anchor please visit https://www.anchor.org.uk/

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The event brought together a cheerful crowd on the roof, including Executive Member Cllr. Mark Smith who inaugurated the planting of the rooftop gardens. These gardens are not only expected to provide an oasis of peace for residents but also offer environmental benefits.  

This topping-out ceremony signifies a significant construction milestone for the low energy development, which includes a 72-bed care home, 88 independent living apartments, and an 8-bed short stay unit, all set to open in Summer 2024.  

Emphasising its commitment to sustainability and community welfare, our construction partner Farrans is also providing local social value support, including learning opportunities in schools and various employment opportunities for the local community.  

Designed to meet Passivhaus standards, the development aims to offer older people an opportunity to maintain an independent lifestyle while providing a ‘home-for-life’ with varying levels of care and support when needed. The Passivhaus design ensures optimal internal conditions, a safe, healthy, and comfortable environment, while significantly reducing energy, emissions and operational costs.   

After the ceremony, guests were joined by several residents from Ferndale Care Home and enjoyed a post-ceremony tea at the Rufus Centre.  

Cllr. Steven Watkins, Executive Member for Business, Housing, and Public Affairs said, “This was a fantastic day to reflect on everything that has been achieved so far and to celebrate the significant social impact this project is already having on the local community.”  

Cllr. Mark Smith, Executive Member for Adult Social Care, emphasised the health benefits of the rooftop gardens, stating, “Gardens bring significant health benefits, and the rooftop gardens will provide an oasis of peace and calm with space for people to come together and an opportunity for those who enjoy gardening to get involved.”  

“The Senior Living Village will not only offer first-class care and accommodation in the care home but also provide independent living apartments, allowing residents to enjoy an active and independent lifestyle with excellent facilities right on their doorstep.”  

Cathal Montague, Regional Director for Farrans Construction, said: “The topping out of Steppingley Road Senior Living Village marks another stage in the progress of this important project for Central Bedfordshire Council. This building is ahead of the curve in its drive for Passivhaus accreditation and it will be an example of what can be delivered in this new frontier in sustainable care homes.

“We strive to have a positive lasting impact in the communities that we work and since starting on site we have had 13 apprentices join our team, we have had over 280 local people working on our site and we have created nine full time positions for previously long term unemployed. We have partnered with local schools to deliver workshops and site visits, participated in litter picks and volunteered at community events.

“Our social value work will continue until the end of the project and coming up we have four community biodiversity workshops scheduled for August, several volunteering and litter picking sessions in the diary and teacher insight days to provide more information about career and work experience opportunities within the construction industry.”  

To visualise the care home, its community garden and the independent living accommodation with roof garden, you can view the CGI fly-through video showing a vision of the building.   

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England’s largest not-for profit provider of specialist housing and care for people in later life is tendering for partnerships with contractors covering an integrated programme of repair, investment, and improvement activities across approximately 1,700 locations. The total estimated value for delivering the service over a period of up to 15 years is £1.7 billion.

The works cover all Anchor’s residential care homes, retirement housing to rent and to buy, retirement villages, specialist care locations and several commercial properties and non-residential locations throughout England alongside three locations in South Wales.

Brian Golton, Director of Property Delivery at Anchor, said: “Helping people enjoy later life by  providing high quality, safe homes with resident focused services is paramount . As a result, we are looking to secure long term partnerships with contractors who can demonstrate they can deliver consistently and effectively, to ensure we continue to provide homes where residents love living in later life. We have commenced the initial phase of procurement with an aim to award tenders in June 2024.”

John Westwood, Executive Director of Property and Assets at Anchor, said: “With an ageing population providing well maintained, quality homes is needed more than ever.

“Anchor is proudly not-for-profit, which means every penny we make is reinvested into our properties and services. Our ambitious repairs and investment service seeks to meet the needs of current and future residents, with responsive and planned works being carried out, that includes retrofitting to improve energy efficiency and create healthier homes.”  

Companies wishing to be considered can visit the repairs and investment service page for submission information.

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The site has planning permission for 184,000 square feet of accommodation including a 100-unit Integrated Retirement Community. Inspired will now seek to amend current permission to include additional facilities such as a restaurant and wellness suite.

The site is a former golf course situated just outside Edenbridge, and is a 15-minute walk from the town centre. Commenting on the acquisition Neal Dale, Chief Development & Property Officer for Inspired Villages said: “We welcome the addition of Edenbridge to our portfolio of sites and are excited by its potential in a popular and thriving location for us.

“We are keen to start progressing plans for the village here whilst raising awareness and gaining support from the local community. The provision of this type of age-appropriate accommodation is of wider benefit as it naturally frees up housing stock throughout every element of the property ladder.

“The sense of holistic wellbeing and community we seek to create within our villages also proves beneficial to the surrounding areas where we are currently operating. Our Inspired Friendships programme is already well-established in Kent and seeks to reduce loneliness and isolation of those not just living with a village, but the wider community also.

“Edenbridge is part of our wider business vision to open 34 sites as we embark on a mission to become the leading retirement community operator in the UK, with communities that are flourishing and residents living the best years of their lives.”

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Specialist healthcare provider Montpelier Estates successfully applied for planning permission to build an 85-bed care home at the Trafford Waters site which sits within TraffordCity, near to the Manchester Ship Canal and The Trafford Centre.

Montpelier’s scheme will offer tailored dementia care and elderly living with a range of on-site facilities to encourage socialising in a comfortable, safe and supportive space. An on-site bistro café, hair salon, cinema and rooftop garden will all be created as part of the scheme in Trafford Waters. There will also be space for community events, relaxation and exercise for future residents to enjoy. Several parts of the facility will also be open to the wider public to encourage further interaction and community building.

The homes will be some of the first 350 to be built at Trafford Waters. Montpelier’s plans are part of the first phase of Trafford Waters where Peel L&P has secured outline planning permission for 3,000 new homes to suit a range of needs, a primary school, hotels, offices and a new 20-acre public park to improve people’s health, wellbeing and access to nature. The project is estimated to create over 5,000 new jobs.

Anna Ciesielska, Director of Montpelier Estates said: “We are very pleased with the planning decision to approve our bespoke residential and nursing care scheme at Trafford Waters. We are proud be working in partnership with Peel L&P to deliver this high-quality, much-needed, specialist home for the local community.

“We understand that a decision to move to a care home is difficult for residents and their families. That’s why our developments are highly focused on creating spaces where people really want to spend their time and live, where they feel reassured, empowered, cared for, while allowing them to remain independent with good links to the community and local facilities.”

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Located close to Leek’s town centre, the now empty site once housed the silk mill before being used as an antique emporium with storage and workshops in its later years. The building was demolished in 2018, leaving an area of open land that is bordered by Cornhill Street to the north, Duke Street to the south and Prospect Place to the west.

Mark Henderson from Brewster Bye, the architects that have designed the scheme, said: “Due to some key historic assets of the old mill, the existing stair tower and turret were not demolished, and their restoration will form an interesting and attractive element of the new development.”

As well as the 57 apartments, there will be a residents’ lounge on the ground floor, along with an office, buggy store and other ancillary spaces and amenities from residents. Each apartment will have its own private areas, with patio spaces for the apartments on the ground and lower ground floors, and homes on the upper floors will either have their own balcony, or a juliette balcony off the main lounge space.

Outside, there will be landscaped gardens for the residents to enjoy. A parking area with 31 spaces will be created, including three that are accessible. A cycle parking store will also be provided as part of the development.

Mark added: “Our design of the elevations was influenced by the buildings in the surrounding Leek area. The red brickwork used as the principal material is reflective of the red brick industrial nature of the buildings nearby, including the mill buildings that remain on Brook Street to the north of the site and London Street to the west. The heavy red brick influence is continued in the design of the houses in the immediate vicinity of the site, along Duke Street, Compton and London Street. Blue and grey brickwork will be added to the base of the building, and also in bands, as a detailed feature that adds a contemporary feel and an extra dimension to the building. The stone bands give even more detailing to the elevations, enhance projections, and connect the proposed building to the existing restored brick turret.”

Lee Robinson, from Collaborate Living Ltd, said: “This development is incredibly exciting and really highlights the importance of multiple stakeholders working together to bring a challenging site and project to life. It is addressing a much-needed housing need for retirement living accommodation within the area and is perfectly situated in close proximity to the local amenities, GP’s, shops and entertainment.

“The development itself has been thoughtfully designed with gated, well-lit pedestrian access from the car parking areas, as well as electric vehicle charging points. Inside the communal areas are located close to the entrance of the building, with the office providing security as people enter and exit the building. The apartments have open plan living kitchen areas, pleasant views, and benefit from lift access to the upper floors.

“Crucially, this development will help address the chronic shortage of retirement living homes in the area and the apartments will be available for social rent from April 2024.”

Housing 21 is a leading provider of retirement and extra care living for older people. It is a not-for-profit organisation that operates in over 240 local authority areas. Brewster Bye is one of the UK’s leading architecture practices in the retirement housing sector.

Visit: www.housing21.org.uk for more details.

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As part of the £8m first phase, RED Construction London will carry out works to demolish around two thirds of the existing buildings, replacing the section with a state-of-the-art 32-bed care home. The new building will be fully wheelchair accessible and will provide residential long term and respite care. Specialist architects, PRP, have carefully designed the new care home to respect the street scene and conservation area, by creating elegant buildings which are reflective of the villas that currently occupy the site. Each of the 32 bedrooms will be fitted with ensuite bathrooms, and the new home will provide high quality communal facilities including a lounge overlooking the gardens as well as a hair and beauty treatment room and a full catering kitchen.

Located in East Molesey and operating as a not-for-profit facility, the redevelopment will optimise the site’s ability to provide high quality facilities for the elderly, so that the Royal Cambridge Home can continue to offer first class care in a building designed to meet modern requirements.

When completed, Royal Cambridge Home will vacate the remaining property on site to enable its partner charity, The Sheppard Trust, to proceed with its phase two project, providing 60 one bedroomed flats for independent living, along with high quality communal facilities, designed for older women in need. 

Mark Iori, Operations Director at RED Construction London, commented: “At RED Construction London, our aim is to deliver great schemes fit for the future, so we could not be happier to work on phase one of this redevelopment for The Sheppard Trust and Royal Cambridge Home. Our team have extensive experience across a broad range of projects, from considered restoration work to new builds and fit-outs, and we are looking forward to delivering a key element of the new and improved Royal Cambridge Home scheme.”

Robert Dowler, Chair of Trustees for Royal Cambridge Home, said: “It is the aim of the Royal Cambridge Home to provide care for our residents of the highest standard, achievable with bespoke facilities that allow our well-trained and motivated staff to shine. This development will enable us to continue to offer the best care within an elevated custom built home, suitable for 21st century care requirements. RED Construction London’s track record, and their understanding of our needs, make the team the perfect partner for phase one of this development. We are very pleased to have them on board.”

This news follows RED Construction London’s recent appointment to deliver elevated office spaces within Barwood Capital’s redevelopment of ‘Explore’. The 45,000 sq ft space previously known as ‘Eton House’ will be undergoing refurbishment with the purpose of providing a prime sustainable office space as well as additional amenities.

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Simpson Street based architects and engineering practice, Building Design Northern (BDN), was commissioned by Sunderland City Council to draw up designs for a community of ‘specialist homes’ to support improved health, wellbeing, and care.  They will stand on the current site of the disused St Cuthbert’s Methodist Church in Ryhope, and are part of the city council’s five-year £59m Housing Delivery and Investment Plan (HDIP), which is delivering more good-quality homes for older and vulnerable people in Sunderland. 

The plans were approved by Sunderland’s planning committee on the 17th April and demolition of the distinctive green-roofed church – which is no longer occupied and has fallen into disrepair – will clear the way for six new high-quality one-storey properties, as well as two staff hubs, for use by Adult Social Care workers on-hand to provide support to residents.  The properties have been designed for people who require additional support and care, with the aim of improving the everyday experience of the residents who live there, meeting their immediate and future needs.

The team at BDN has worked closely with staff from the local authority to shape plans to ensure they’re absolutely fit for purpose and able to support residents with a range of conditions that impact on their mobility and health.

Graham King, Director of Adult Services at Sunderland City Council, said: “This is yet another example of the strong collaboration between Adult Services and the housing team. The programme has been a real success with developments bespoke to individual customers and their care and support needs with technology-enabled care built into the schemes which allows people to live more independently in their own tenancy.”

Gerry Taylor, executive director of health housing and communities at Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re delighted to have commissioned a Sunderland firm to develop plans for new homes in Sunderland, that will improve the lives of those who live there. 

“The HDIP is about supporting our more vulnerable residents, creating homes that are attuned to their needs, with design and assistive technology adaptations that support the wellbeing of people who live there.  This scheme will achieve just that, breathing new life into a small area that is at the heart of an established community in Sunderland.”

The proposals comprise of a mixture of both two and three-bedroom shared and individual bungalows, arranged in a cluster and connected by a sheltered canopy to enclose the site and create a sense of community.

BDN’s work on the project has been bolstered by a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Northumbria University, which has provided a unique opportunity for contemporary research to be embedded into the scheme’s architectural design.

All six homes have been carefully designed to complement the existing streetscape, while delivering a contemporary response that will establish a connected community of well-designed, sustainable homes.

Dr Faye Sedgewick, architectural designer and KTP associate at BDN, said: “St Cuthbert’s has been designed to enable residents to carry out everyday activities within the home.

“The sympathetic design responds to both people and place, and seeks to support greater independence, enablement and life fulfilment for residents.  The cluster of homes embed BDN’s supportive design principles and ethos to ensure that the accessible homes are readily adaptable, enabling and connected to the surrounding community.”

A series of stakeholder engagement sessions with a research group at Northumbria University have supported BDN’s design response, ensuring the quality of design is the best it can be. 

Richard Marsden, managing director of BDN, added: “As a Sunderland firm, it is fantastic to be able to support the council in its goal of creating communities that raise the bar, delivering housing that enables residents to live independently and in comfortable, well-designed homes. 

“We’ve invested in a talented team at BDN, whose designs really are at the cutting edge, so this scheme really will be exemplary, something that means a lot to us as a firm that is growing roots in Sunderland.”

The full planning application was submitted by BDN to Sunderland City Council in February, with a decision taken at committee yesterday.  It is one of a number of HDIP schemes moving forward in the city, with plans to create more supported properties for vulnerable residents, more bungalows for people living with disabilities and older residents, as well as general use homes available for affordable rent. 

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Building on Caddick’s existing healthcare portfolio, this development will boost the provision of specialist residential care for those aged 55 and over in Lancaster, providing a safe and comfortable space for those requiring varying levels of care.

The project will see the construction of a 92-unit extra care scheme incorporating one and two-bedroom apartments, with three of the one-bedroom apartments designed to be wheelchair friendly.

Two existing buildings will also be converted into 16 one and two-bedroom general needs flats. Additional features such as assisted bathing, spa bathing, hairdressing facility, a games room, roof terraces and a laundry room will also be incorporated.

External work will include alterations and remodelling of the existing and stone boundary wall, landscaping, a car park with EV charging points, restoration of all historial sandstone buildings and the installation of external lighting.

Ian Threadgold, Managing Director of Caddick Construction for the North West commented: “Extra care facilities such as these are a vital necessity in any community and we’re pleased to be bringing this much needed development to life, on behalf of Progress Housing Group. Caddick’s extensive expertise in the healthcare sector is what has led our specialist team to this development and we’re thrilled to form an integral part of this project.”

Rebecca Field, Head of Development at Progress Housing Group, said: “We are delighted to be working with Caddick Construction on our first Extra Care scheme facility and the first in Lancaster.

“The scheme will provide homes for people aged 55 and over, with on-site, tailored care and support packages available to help residents live independently. It is hoped that the scheme will be completed by Summer 2025.”

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Fisher German, acting on behalf of Miller Homes, sold the care village site to Keon Homes Ltd, and the Co-op site to LSP Developments. Both sites have full planning permission for the projects and construction works have started.

“We received strong interest for both sites having targeted specialist developers in both sectors. The schemes complement the existing housing and will be excellent additions to Lichfield. The care village and new shops will help make Roman Heights feel more like a true community, and we wish Keon Homes and LSP Developments all the best with the delivery of the projects,” said Rob Champion, Partner at Fisher German.

The developments will add to the 750 new homes and primary school at Roman Heights, which first received outline planning permission in late 2014.

“Building communities is at the heart of what we do at Miller Homes and we are delighted to bring these important facilities to our residents living in Streethay. With our residential homes now sold out and our customers enjoying their new homes, we hope that the new retail facilities and care complex will become a focal point of the development servicing the needs of the community for years to come,” concluded Alastair Parsons, Area Sales Director at Miller Homes West Midlands.

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