Building work is underway on a £20.7 million later living apartment development in Bradford, with Caddick Construction commencing works on Ashfield Mills on behalf of housing provider Anchor. The scheme, located on Ashfield Road in Idle, will deliver 75 apartments for older people and includes a range of communal amenities, car parking and landscaped areas. Anchor is England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life. With construction now in progress, Caddick Construction is increasing activity on site. The contractor said this will include initiatives aimed at supporting the local community, alongside training and employment opportunities. The development is scheduled for completion in 2027. Caddick was appointed to the project through the NEPO Construction Works framework, providing Anchor with a streamlined procurement route to deliver new homes in the city. Ashfield Mills further strengthens Caddick’s presence in Bradford following its delivery of One City Park for development partners Muse and Bradford Council. The 56,403 sq ft scheme was the city’s first Grade A office development in 20 years and includes five floors of office space and a roof terrace. Steve Ford, Regional Managing Director, Caddick Construction North East & Yorkshire commented: “We’re proud to have been appointed to deliver Anchor’s latest later living complex and for work to be progressing on site. This new development will offer residents independent living with the peace of mind that comes from a supportive community environment. Building on our experience in the later living sector, we will work in collaboration with our partners and supply chain to successfully bring this development to life.” Victoria Mager, Director of Development Delivery, added: “This scheme represents an important investment in high-quality homes for older people in Bradford. Our ambition is to create welcoming, modern places that help residents stay connected and live well for longer. Working with Caddick, we’re looking forward to delivering a development that supports both individual independence and a strong sense of community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Specialist senior living developer Charterpoint has submitted planning applications for two new care homes, marking the start of the year with an expansion of its portfolio. The proposed developments are located in Gedling, near Nottingham, and to the north of Peterborough. Both schemes are designed as modern, three-storey care homes with 80 en-suite bedrooms, lounges, dining rooms, activity areas, and additional resident facilities. Charterpoint CEO Adrian Goose said: “As a specialist in the senior living and care home sector, Charterpoint is very pleased to have applied for planning permission for two additional care homes to add to our portfolio. “We have a strong track record of developing best in class care homes—identifying areas where there is demand for such facilities, designing attractive buildings, and securing planning permission for the developments. We are delighted to have now submitted plans to Gedling Borough Council and to Peterborough City Council for two further care homes.” The Gedling care home is proposed for a site off Lambley Lane, which has been identified for residential use in Gedling Borough Council’s Local Plan. The design, by KWL Architects, includes 80 en-suite bedrooms, lounges, dining areas, activity and hobby rooms, a café, and a hairdresser, with access via an improved entrance off Lambley Lane. The Peterborough care home, designed by Anotherkind Architects, will feature en-suite bedrooms, residents’ lounges, dining areas, a cinema, a hairdresser, a café/bistro opening onto a terrace, and activity rooms. The site, to be accessed from Newborough Road, will also include spacious gardens, patios, communal terraces on the first and second floors, and 33 car parking spaces for staff and visitors. Charterpoint Managing Director Giles Nursey said: “Our proposed new care home is in an area of Peterborough which is experiencing significant and rapid local growth, where a care home would be a tremendous asset to the community. “This care home would offer yet another best in class asset in an easily accessible and visible site, responding to this locally recognised need.” Charterpoint worked with planning consultants P&DG on the Peterborough proposals. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Eric Wright Construction has completed the first care home, Castlewood in Clitheroe, for client Wrightcare.  The £14m development comprises 68 en-suite bedrooms with shared living spaces including lounges, dining and kitchen facilities, a café and bar area, hair salon and multiple wellness and activity spaces, supported by integrated technologies to enhance resident care and safety.   James Eager, director of Eric Wright Construction commented “We are proud to handover Castlewood to our client, Wrightcare, on time and on budget. As this is a full turnkey project, our team has ensured that every aspect has been delivered to the highest standards to provide a high-quality, comfortable and safe environment for residents and employees.  “Working collaboratively with our consultants, supply chain partners, sub-contractors, and the client team, we successfully addressed a range of technical challenges, turning them into opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement. The valuable experience gained will further strengthen our approach as we also start to move forward with the construction of Wrightcare’s second care home in Lancashire.” Gill Chadwick, managing director for Wrightcare added “This is a significant milestone for Wrightcare, as we celebrate the handover of our first care home, Castlewood. “This is the beginning of creating a community founded on compassion, dignity and the very best person-centred care. I’m looking forward to the journey ahead and to welcoming our first residents.” Castlewood has been designed with a focus on maximising the outdoor spaces including a village green entrance to the property, with greenhouses and raised beds for residents who want to enjoy gardening and private patios to the ground floor apartments. Wrightcare, which is also part of the Eric Wright Group, plans to build, retain and operate a number of new care homes across the North West in the near future and the construction team is due to start on site with the second care home Brindlewood, Grimsargh near Preston. This second development will encompass a 72-bedroom care home, along with 48 bungalows that are being delivered by Applethwaite, also part of the Eric Wright Group.  The project team  included: Planning – Steve Abbott Associates, Lead Designer / Architect – Cassidy & Ashton, Civil & Structural – JP Structures, Landscape Architect – TEL Landscapes, MEP – TACE, Fire Engineering – Hoare Lea, Acoustics – Cundalls, Transport – Mode, Environmental – Envirotech, Building Control – Sweco. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

England’s largest not-for-profit later-living provider, Anchor, celebrated a key milestone – the topping out and the laying of the last tile on the roof of its newest affordable housing development on Melton Road in Edwalton. The event was attended by senior Anchor personnel, Homes England, and Rushcliffe Borough Council. Located in Nottingham, the development will provide 80 homes for rent, of which there will be 31 one-bedroom and 49 two-bedroom apartments available. Once open, the scheme will also provide future residents with various modern communal spaces, including beautifully landscaped gardens and a seated patio area. Anchor’s Executive Director of Development, Oli Boundy, said: “The topping out ceremony at Edwalton marks an important milestone for both Anchor and the development. It will deliver much needed, high-quality, affordable accommodation to support older people in the local community. We would like to thank Vistry, Homes England, and Rushcliffe Borough Council for their support and co-operation in helping us reach this stage.” James Warrington, Executive Chair (North, South Midlands and East Division) at Vistry Group, added: “Reaching this milestone with our partners Anchor, Homes England, and Rushcliffe Borough Council is a proud moment for everyone involved. These new apartments in Edwalton represent our commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable homes which are tailored to the needs of those entering their later years. By working together, we’re not only addressing the urgent need for later living accommodation, but also helping to build a vibrant, inclusive community where residents can truly thrive.” Lewis Young, Senior Manager – Affordable Housing Delivery at Homes England, commented: “As the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, increasing the supply of quality affordable homes remains one of our key objectives and we are committed to supporting ambitious housebuilders of all sizes to build those homes and communities. “This investment through the Affordable Homes Programme does just that, enabling Anchor to build 80 much needed new homes the people of Rushcliffe can be proud of.” Councillor Roger Upton, Portfolio Holder for Planning & Housing at Rushcliffe Borough Council, said: “Anchor has worked closely with the local community throughout the building of this development, which is a testament of its commitment to providing homes for later living that suit the demand and changing needs of the older population in our area. I look forward to seeing the developing relationship between Anchor and their residents and witnessing the growth of a thriving older community.” For more information about the development please visit https://www.anchor.org.uk/edwalton. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

McAleer & Rushe has been appointed as principal contractor to deliver a £42.7 million retirement living development on the former Biothane plant site in Kew, London. Working on behalf of Elysian Residences, the project, known as The Watermark, involves the construction of 88 apartments across a series of buildings, set within landscaped gardens along the riverside. The scheme also includes associated access roads, car parking, amenity spaces, and ancillary works. Patrick Coyle, Project Director at McAleer & Rushe, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with Elysian Residences on this landmark development in Kew. The Watermark represents an exciting addition to our later living portfolio, showcasing our expertise in delivering complex, high-end residential schemes that combine quality, comfort, and community. We look forward to working closely with our clients, partners, and supply chain to create an exceptional living environment for homeowners and make a lasting, positive contribution to the wider Kew area.” Gavin Stein, Chief Executive Officer, Elysian Residences, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with McAleer & Rushe on The Watermark in Kew. This landmark development reflects our commitment to creating exceptional retirement living, combining outstanding design, luxury amenities and a welcoming community. In its riverside setting, The Watermark will offer an unparalleled lifestyle, and we look forward to providing homeowners with the very best hospitality and support.” Designed to combine the independence of private living with exceptional hospitality and care, The Watermark will be located just a short walk from Kew Gardens and Kew Village. Works are now underway, with McAleer & Rushe delivering the main contract through to completion in Spring 2027. The project further strengthens McAleer & Rushe’s reputation for delivering high-quality residential and later living developments across the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Plans to deliver 124 much-needed Extra Care apartments in South Shields have this week been given the green light by South Tyneside’s planning committee. The much-needed specialist accommodation, to be developed by Karbon Homes in partnership with South Tyneside Council, will be built on the site of the former Chuter Ede school and Ede Community Association. The scheme has been designed to help people with differing levels of care and support needs to live well and independently for longer. 25 of the apartments are specifically designed for people living with dementia. Zoey Hawthorne, Assistant Director of Development Delivery at Karbon Homes, said: “It’s great to have the backing of the South Tyneside Council planning committee to bring this exciting, much-needed scheme to fruition. “This project represents a major commitment from us to provide affordable, high-quality homes in the borough, a modern and welcoming place to live for residents with a number of socially-focused features to help facilitate community cohesion. “We have a great working relationship with South Tyneside’s Adult Social Care and Commissioning, who we have worked with on a number of housing projects that support adults with care and support needs. We look forward to further developing this relationship with them as we take this next project forward.” Karbon has worked with Tyne and Wear based JDDK Architects on the design, with apartments sitting across four storeys laid out around a central communal courtyard. The scheme will be highly energy efficient, with heating and hot water to be powered by air source heat pumps, with additional energy generated through roof mounted solar PV panels. The scheme will also have multi-use spaces for activities, which will be open for community groups to use, alongside a bistro café open to the general public. Bringing more housing of this type to the local authority area forms part of the Council’s wider Adult Social Care Accommodation Strategy, aimed at supporting people who may need care and support to live independently in the community. Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, said: “I’m delighted this development has been given planning permission. “We continue to invest in affordable accommodation that reflects the needs and wants of our communities and allows people to live with dignity and independence in the heart of their communities in a place they can call home. “I’m really looking forward to watching this new facility take shape.” Karbon has appointed Robertson Construction North East as the lead contractor for the project. It will be the second Extra Care facility built by Robertson for Karbon and South Tyneside Council, the first being a 95-apartment scheme in Hebburn town centre. Its delivery will be part-funded by Homes England, through Karbon’s Strategic Partnership with the Government’s housing delivery agency. This strategic partnership is supporting Karbon to deliver 2,324 new affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire by 2028, 10% of which will be new homes for people requiring additional support needs. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Planning permission has been granted for a 66-bedroom care home at Vistry’s Westcombe Park development in Heybridge, near Maldon, Essex. The new facility will be operated by LNT Care Developments and delivered in partnership with specialist developer Charterpoint and Vistry, the master developer of Westcombe Park. The three-storey care home will offer a range of modern amenities for residents and visitors, including en-suite wet rooms, lounges, dining areas, a café, a sky bar, a cinema, a hair salon, and dedicated staff facilities. The site will also include 32 parking spaces, two of which are accessible, and six electric vehicle charging stations. Ambulance and taxi drop-off points are part of the design, along with 16 cycle spaces and secure mobility scooter storage and charging areas. Designed to provide both general residential and dementia care, the home will feature landscaped gardens with direct access for residents, promoting outdoor activity and wellbeing. The majority of the building’s energy needs will be met through on-site renewable sources, including ground source heating and rooftop photovoltaic panels, supported by battery storage to capture surplus energy. Giles Nursey, Managing Director of Charterpoint, said: “We are very pleased to have received planning permission to build a modern care home at Westcombe Park to provide first-class care facilities for the local community. As a specialist developer who has delivered numerous care home schemes across the country, we are proud to be part of the team creating important facilities at this exciting garden suburb and feel sure that this care home will be a key community asset.” The care home forms a central part of the wider Westcombe Park masterplan, which is designed to support residents at all stages of life. The new neighbourhood will feature a mix of homes to suit various affordability levels, and includes plans for a new neighbourhood centre comprising later-living apartments, a health centre, convenience store, retail units, and a day nursery. Martin Leach, Managing Director at Vistry Strategic Land & Major Projects, said: “The provision of a first-class care facility is a valuable addition for Westcombe Park, forming part of our wider ambition to create a well-rounded neighbourhood with the mix of homes, facilities and infrastructure that communities need. We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Charterpoint and LNT to provide this fantastic facility for the residents of Maldon.” The care home will be built by LNT and operated by its sister company, Crystal Care Collection. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Planning permission has been granted for a 66-bedroom care home at Vistry’s Westcombe Park development in Heybridge, near Maldon in Essex. The care home will be operated by LNT Care Developments. LNT has been working with specialist developer Charterpoint and Vistry, the master developer of Westcombe Park, to deliver a new state-of-the-art care home as part of the development. The three-storey care home will include high-quality en-suite wet rooms for each resident, lounges and dining areas, a café and a sky bar for residents and visitors to enjoy, a hair salon, cinema, a reception area, staff facilities, and 32 car parking spaces, including two accessible spaces and six electric car charging spaces, as well as ambulance and taxi drop-off points. Sixteen cycle spaces – eight for staff and eight for visitors – will also be provided, along with designated storage and charging areas for mobility scooters. The care home, which has been designed to provide general residential care and residential dementia care, will feature landscaped gardens with direct access for residents. The majority of energy used at the care home will be generated from onsite renewable sources such as ground source heating and photovoltaic panels on the roof, with a battery to store surplus energy. The care home forms an integral part of the Westcombe Park community which aims to provide new homes to meet all affordability levels and stages of life. Westcombe Park includes a planned new neighbourhood centre, plans for which are being advanced by Charterpoint Group, comprising later living apartments, health centre, convenience store, other retail units, and a day nursery. Giles Nursey, MD of Charterpoint, said: “We are very pleased to have received planning permission to build a modern care home at Westcombe Park to provide first-class care facilities for the local community. As a specialist developer who has delivered numerous care home schemes across the country, we are proud to be part of the team creating important facilities at this exciting garden suburb and feel sure that this care home will be a key community asset.” Martin Leach, Managing Director, Vistry Strategic Land & Major Projects said: “The provision of a first-class care facility is a valuable addition for Westcombe Park, forming part of our wider ambition to create a well-rounded neighbourhood with the mix of homes,  facilities and infrastructure that communities need. We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Charterpoint and LNT to provide this fantastic facility for the residents of Maldon.” The care home will be delivered by LNT and operated by its sister company Crystal Care Collection. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Groundbreaking construction techniques are slashing build times and transforming the delivery of retirement housing – offering a potential solution to the UK’s critical shortage of later living accommodation. With the country facing a shortfall of one million senior living homes by 2040, the race is on to develop innovative approaches that can deliver high-quality housing for older people more rapidly and cost-effectively. Leading this charge in the Midlands is construction specialist McPhillips. The award-winning company has partnered with developer-operator Untold Living to pioneer an innovative £20 million Integrated Retirement Community (IRC) in Shropshire – a county where pensioners are expected to make up more than a quarter of Shropshire’s residents by 2026. Here, factory-built components and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are dramatically accelerating construction timelines. The project will create much-needed flexible and supportive living for retirees in the form of 61 apartments, 15 bungalows, on-site bistro and integrated care facilities. Paul Inions, managing director of McPhillips, said: “Construction on-site at Newport is being driven by modern, factory-led approaches to reduce costs, speed-up timelines and minimise disruption to nearby residents. “This type of approach must become commonplace if we are to stand a chance at resolving the growing demand for older living accommodation and meet the seniors housing target of 50,000 units a year. “Currently, as a nation we are falling woefully short of this target and demand is only going to get higher with people live longer and longer.” Use of MMC at Newport means the large, steel supporting structures for the main apartment blocks will arrive pre-manufactured complete with windows, insulation and brick ties. Further innovation is planned for the site’s bungalows, with roofs to be built at ground level before being craned into position. This technique not only speeds up the construction process but significantly improves site health and safety. Paul added: “The apartment panels are due to arrive on-site later this month (July) from our subcontractor Remagin based in Leeds.  “Once here, the panels will be craned into position and the main apartment block structures will be erected in just 12 weeks – 40 per cent faster than if we were using traditional methods but with no sacrifice on quality. “This approach is a gamechanger for the senior living housing sector and we are proud to be demonstrating our commitment. “We’re not only helping to meet the rising demand for retiree housing, but we are also helping to address the wider housing needs in the Newport area by freeing up larger homes for younger families. “It’s a model that could certainly be replicated across more towns in the UK.”   The government recently announced £39 billion for new social and affordable housing and the Housing Minister recently noted that the “need to provide sufficient housing to meet older people’s specific needs is critical.” ARCO, the national membership body for housing-with-care, believes at least 20 per cent of this new investment should be reserved for specialist housing for older people and in particular Integrated Retirement Communities like the one being developed in Newport. Work on the Newport retirement community started in October 2024 and is due for completion in summer 2026. The innovative scheme has been designed by Gaunt Francis Architects and the project is being managed by Total Project Integration. Architectural and technical designer Michael Carruthers said whilst MMC required more upfront design work, the payoff was significant with much faster on-site construction.  “The approach we’ve taken at Newport combines the precision of factory-made components with local construction expertise, allowing us to create high-quality homes that are specifically designed for older residents while minimising disruption to the surrounding community.” Stephen Brunker, associate director for Gaunt Francis, who is also working on the scheme with Michael, added that the benefits of retirement communities extended far beyond just housing.  “The evidence shows that residents in these communities see their GPs less often, require fewer hospital visits, and recover more quickly when returning from hospital.  “This development will help reduce the burden on local health services while providing purposeful accommodation where residents can maintain their independence with support available when needed.” Once handed over to Untold Living in summer 2026, the retirement village will be named Sundew Court. It will provide much-needed flexible and supportive living for older residents, giving retirees the opportunity to ‘right-size’ into quality homes without leaving the local area. Amy Herbert, director of operations at Untold Living, said: “There’s a pressing need nationally for high-quality, smaller housing options for retirees and our Newport development demonstrates our commitment to helping to resolve this shortage. “This development will enable older residents to remain within their cherished community whilst enjoying more manageable and supportive living environments. “Here retirees can live independently but with the reassurance of 24-hour on-site care staff should it be needed.” For more progress updates on the development visit: – Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals