Englishcombe Lane Development: A Landmark Supported Living Project for Adults with Autism and Learning Difficulties Gains Approval  Arcadis, in collaboration with Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES), has achieved planning permission for a ground-breaking development at Englishcombe Lane, Bath.  Arcadis provided a fully integrated, multidisciplinary service to Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES) including Planning Consultancy, Project Management, Architecture and Landscape Design, Ecology, Infrastructure Design, Geotechnical Advisory, Engagement and Social Value and Transport Planning.   The project will see the creation of 16 specialist supported living homes for adults with autism and/or learning difficulties, alongside a communal hub, carefully designed to integrate with the surrounding landscape and community.   The development is a vital response to the growing demand for supported living accommodations in Bath and Northeast Somerset. It will help reduce the need for out-of-area placements, offering residents the opportunity to live within their community in a supportive and inclusive environment.  Described by the local planning authority as “exemplary,” the scheme has been recognised for its “immense” social value. It has the potential to serve as a model for supported living environments, designed to bring together residents, their carers, and families in a nurturing, nature-connected setting.  The Englishcombe Lane development places resident well-being and connecting people with nature at the heart of its design. The layout, which includes clusters of homes arranged around inward-facing courtyards, provides a secure and serene environment. Level paths connect terraced spaces, ensuring accessibility for all, while the landscaping creates a sensory experience tailored to the needs of residents.    The homes, a mix of one-bed bungalows, split-level two-bed, and three-bed dwellings, are crafted to offer flexibility and adaptability. These features allow residents to live independently with appropriate care and support, including accommodations for overnight carers and office spaces for staff.  The success of the project stems from a highly collaborative effort, with significant community engagement and specialist input shaping the final design. Arcadis worked closely with local services, delivering a Designing for Neurodiversity webinar in collaboration with the Neurodiversity in Planning Network, and incorporating feedback from sustainability training sessions. Volunteers from Arcadis and B&NES also contributed by refurbishing Moorlands Park in Bath, reinforcing the project’s positive impact on the community.   With sustainability at the forefront of the design and planning process, the development is anticipated to deliver a 20% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), exceeding local and national policy requirements.  The scheme, a collaborative effort by Arcadis and B&NES not only addresses immediate housing needs but also ensures a long-term, sustainable future for its residents. The development promises to enhance the quality of life for individuals with autism and/or learning difficulties by providing them with a tranquil, well-integrated space for independent living.  Gemma Care, Technical Director, Arcadis, comments:   “We are thrilled to see the Englishcombe Lane project receive planning approval. This development is a true reflection of how thoughtful design, proactive planning and meaningful engagement can transform lives, providing a safe, sustainable, and inclusive environment for individuals with autism and learning difficulties.”  Nick Plumley, Development Lead, Bath & North East Somerset Council, comments:   “We are proud to have reached this important milestone in what is an ambitious project on a challenging site.  The project directly supports the Corporate Strategy mission to improve people’s lives by providing the right homes in the right places”.    Our belief is that the built environment is a material factor in the wellbeing of people.  This carefully designed scheme will better enable people to reach their full potential by providing greater choice and control over where and how to live, as set out in our Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives Autism Strategy”.  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Octopus Real Estate, a specialist real estate investor and lender under the Octopus Investments umbrella, has announced a £40 million investment to fund the development of three high-quality, purpose-built care homes in partnership with Torwood Care. This initiative will expand the Octopus Healthcare Fund’s (OHF) portfolio, which already comprises over 100 homes. The three new care homes, strategically located in Durham, Worksop, and Bradford, will collectively offer over 200 beds, each with private wet rooms. Operating under the Tanglewood Care brand, the homes are designed with sustainability at their core. They will be fully electric, powered by air source heat pumps and equipped with solar panels. Each home targets a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification, supporting the Fund’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals and its commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions. These facilities represent the third, fourth, and fifth developments in a seven-home forward funding portfolio between Octopus Real Estate and Torwood Care, a joint venture partnership involving Torsion Care and Tanglewood Care. The three new homes are expected to open their doors in the first half of 2026. Expert Collaboration Driving Excellence Max Weitzmann, Investment Director for Care Homes at Octopus Real Estate, commented:“We’re delighted to deepen our partnership with Torwood Care, a highly respected operator. These three developments, totalling over 200 new beds, highlight our commitment to creating sustainable, high-quality homes that meet the needs of an evolving society. We’re excited to continue addressing the critical undersupply of care beds across the UK.” Nick Kempster, Director of Torwood Care, added:“At Torwood, we believe everyone deserves a home that supports their individual needs. These developments reflect our dedication to providing outstanding care in comfortable and welcoming environments. Collaborating with Octopus Real Estate enables us to deliver on this vision.” Martin Hutson, Director at Torsion Care, expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying:“Securing this funding from Octopus Real Estate allows us to bring three exceptional care schemes to life. In a challenging market, we’re committed to expanding our portfolio and delivering homes that set a benchmark for quality and sustainability.” Commitment to a Greener Future Octopus Real Estate’s pledge to achieve net zero for new care home developments by 2030 is complemented by significant investment into retrofitting its existing portfolio of over 100 properties across the UK. These initiatives aim to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprints across the board, positioning Octopus as a leader in sustainability within the care home sector. With its innovative approach and a strong emphasis on sustainability, this £40 million partnership between Octopus Real Estate and Torwood Care underscores their shared mission to meet the growing demand for care home facilities while championing environmental responsibility. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

New 52-unit development 40% reserved on opening day, giving it a thriving community on day one and surpassing previous pre-let rates in its portfolio Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has now opened its latest development in Surrey with an impressive 40% of the apartments already reserved off-plan. The 52-unit Pepperpot House development in Godalming is set in the heart of the historic market town on a 1.02-acre plot that was previously home to Mole Country Stores, a site which had stood empty since September 2017. As part of the redevelopment, the Grade II-listed Cowshed at the entrance to the site was fully restored to provide two one-bed apartments. The community offers high-quality one and two-bed self-contained rented apartments to independently minded people over 65. Communal facilities include a 24-hour concierge service, café/restaurant, licensed bar, wellness suite, salon and landscaped roof terrace with a lounge offering views over Godalming to the Surrey Hills. The 40% pre-let rate of Pepperpot House exceeds Birchgrove’s previous record for the percentage of apartments reserved prior to opening, with its Lower Mill development in Ewell, Surrey having been 36% reserved when it opened in May 2022. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive of Birchgrove, said:“We’re delighted that so many of the apartments at Pepperpot House have been snapped up in advance of opening. It helps that we were able to secure such a central location and we’re really pleased to have been able to bring a disused site back to life. “We also know that much of the reason for our off-plan success here is that we were able to show prospective residents our other thriving local communities to give them an idea of what it’s like to live in one of our developments. We believe we’re firmly on a roll now and are confident we can achieve even higher pre-let rates as we roll our successful rental retirement living model out further across the country.” The development is the fifth addition to open since the Birchgrove portfolio was founded in 2017. Birchgrove also operates four other retirement communities in the South-East, with one of these now at full capacity and operating a waiting list. Among its operational developments is the recently opened Ayrton House in Mill Hill, Birchgrove’s first community in Greater London. It also has four additional communities under construction, with new locations being developed in Hampton, Leatherhead, Banstead and Chiswick. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

A much-needed £11.9m ‘Extra Care’ development in Shropshire has been completed and handed over to The Wrekin Housing Group – eight months ahead of schedule. Keon Homes, which is working on similar schemes at William Farr House in Shrewsbury and Streethay in Lichfield, highlighted the unprecedented achievement at a special open day for existing and future clients. The affordable homes and social housing specialist has taken just twenty months to build the 70-strong mix of one and two-bed apartments, with private gardens and a communal café. Ideally situated just a ten-minute walk into the market town of Newport, Queenswood will provide high quality living space and wraparound care and support for people over the age of 55. Speaking at the event Matt Beckley, Partnerships Director at Keon Homes, said: “Although we have a team that are experienced in terms of Extra Care, this is our first foray into the market as a company. And what a success it has been, with the site handed over to the highest standards and eight months early…that’s unheard of in this sector. “Queenswood has been a remarkable story from the very start, where we worked together with a master developer to unlock a complex parcel of land for this type of development. In turn, it meant the entire site could be built out.” He continued: “This approach is something we are rolling out to other open market housebuilders. Many don’t want to construct Extra Care schemes as they aren’t their ‘bread and butter’, but increasingly the big masterplans call for older people’s accommodation to be present. In essence, we can work with them to get an operational partner in line and solve a problem.” More than 50 people were present at the special open day, enjoying a guided tour of the landscaped gardens and the new apartments and communal spaces at the Queenswood scheme. They heard how Keon Homes has used a mix of traditional and modern construction methods in the build, including concrete floor plans manufactured offsite and 200mm think hollow core floor plans throughout the building, all topped with an acoustic Isorubber layer. This approach achieved the dual benefit of reducing build time by eight months and providing an EPC ’A’ energy rating through the communal areas. IP-based assistive technology has also been incorporated throughout the building, including warden call systems, fall alarms, wandering alarms and door access controls. Matt went on to add: “The strength of our relationship with The Wrekin Housing Group was paramount to the speed of completion, with both parties working in partnership to build the highest quality Extra Care space for the people of Newport. “We also wanted the development to have a real ‘local’ impact, with 50% of the entire project spend directed to suppliers within a 20-mile radius. “Other notable achievements, include 16 apprentices being employed on site throughout the duration of the build and 162 work placement hours completed, giving young people the opportunity to gain valuable experience of a possible career working in construction.” Simon Thompson, Director of Development at Wrekin Housing Group, said: “We’re delighted that works have been completed at Queenswood, our new extra care scheme delivered in partnership with Keon Homes. “We have made a firm commitment to deliver quality homes that people can be proud of and there is a clear demand for affordable housing for the over 55s in Newport and the wider Telford and Wrekin area.  “This has been a great project to work on, from initial planning to handover, and I’d like to thank our partners at Keon Homes for their hard work in helping us to bring it to fruition. We’re now looking forward to welcoming our new tenants over the coming weeks.” Queenswood was recognised earlier this year in the NHBC Pride in the Job Awards, with Keon Homes’ Matt Wilkes named as the overall Regional Winner for the West in the Multi-Storey Builder category, following earlier securing the Quality and Seal of Excellence titles. For further information, please visit www.keonhomes.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has brokered the sale of a development site with full planning consent for a start-of-the-art care home development. Award-winning developer, Frontier Estates Limited, gained planning consent in November 2023 following an appeal process for a 70-bedroom care home in a prominent location on Cove Road in the desirable Hampshire town of Fleet. The consented care home has been thoughtfully designed and will comprise en suite wet rooms to all bedrooms and luxury resident amenities including a café, cinema, hair and beauty salon, choice of lounge and dining rooms, balcony and terrace access, and landscaped gardens. Following a sales process with Jordan Rundle and Sara Hartill at Christie & Co, the site has been purchased by leading care provider, Oakland Care, which plans to complete construction in 2027. Oakland Care develops and operates exceptional care homes across the South East of England providing residential, nursing and respite care. Fleet is a natural choice for the expansion of the group’s portfolio, where strong demographics underpinned the need for more future-proof care home provision in the area. Richard Dooley, Director of Development of Oakland Care, comments, “We are delighted to acquire this well-located opportunity from Frontier. The site provides us with a great opportunity to expand our portfolio of homes across the wider southeast area. The new home will form part of our new strategy of developing all electric-powered, net zero homes which will be BREEAM accredited.   Working with the wider Frontier and Christie & Co teams has been a positive experience and we look forward to building on both relationships moving forward.” Sophie Kowalska, Development Manager at Frontier Estates Limited, comments, “We are delighted to have secured consent on this site at appeal for a new best-in-class care home in a great home county location. It has been a pleasure working with the Oakland team, and we look forward to seeing the completed home in due course. Frontier has numerous other exciting care development opportunities coming forward through the planning process and thanks to Christie & Co, for their assistance with this sales process.” Jordan Rundle, Director – Healthcare Investment & Development at Christie & Co, comments, “Frontier Estates has achieved yet another excellent planning consent, and the sale to Oakland will introduce a best-in-class care home to Fleet. Demographic analysis identified a significant demand for elderly care home beds in the catchment which is predicted to grow materially over the next five years. It is clear that, once built, this new and exciting care home scheme will provide a much-needed service to the local community. Oakland is well positioned to serve the growing requirement for market-standard beds in the area with their existing presence in the region, and we look forward to seeing the scheme come forward in the coming months.” The site was sold for an undisclosed amount. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

MSV Housing Group has selected Caddick Construction as main contractor on its new over 55s residential development off Manchester Road in Chorlton.  Due for completion in 2026, the former Chorlton Baths site will bring 50 new-build HAPPI (Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation) designed apartments to the local area, consisting of two five storey buildings.  Of the 40 affordable rent apartments, 30 will be single-bed homes and 10 two bedroom homes. Elsewhere on the development will be seven shared ownership homes for sale, and three neighbourhood apartments, which will be leased to Manchester City Council.  Caddick’s work to deliver these low-carbon, affordable homes will also involve the creation of a residents’ lounge and all external works, including a central courtyard and garden for residents’ use, car parking facilities and bicycle storage.   The £14m extra care development receives its funding invested through MSV Housing, Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and Homes England.  Dave Saville, Regional Managing Director for Caddick Construction North West, comments: “In the past year alone we have delivered on a great number of extra care facilities across the North West, including the multi-award winning Sandalwood Drive in Wigan on behalf of Wigan Council, and Lancaster’s first extra care facility on behalf of Progress Housing Group.  “This model of specialist accommodation for the over 55s is in high demand, and we are pleased to bring our extensive expertise in high-quality, residential builds, and our local and reliable supply chain to deliver these much needed homes for the local community.”  Charlie Norman, CEO for MSV Housing, comments: “We are so pleased that this development is now on site thanks to our partnership with Manchester City Council. With an ageing population and the need to live well in our later years, it is essential that we provide more age friendly homes for older people in Manchester. This high quality new HAPPI scheme will offer safe, warm, affordable and comfortable homes in a fantastic neighbourhood close to shops, transport and medical facilities. At the same time, we expect that larger family homes will be freed up for larger families struggling to find the right home. I would like to thank our colleagues within MSV, and colleagues at Manchester City Council, GMCA and Homes England for their continued support and look forward to working with Caddick to see the first residents move in to their lovely new homes.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

LNT Care Developments has purchased Sewardstone House and Chapelfield Nursery, a 5.1-acre freehold site in Chingford, North East London, from Lochinvar Care Limited. The site, which includes planning approval for a modern, two-storey care facility with 66 bedrooms, marks the first new care home development in the area in over a decade. The planned care home will feature premium amenities such as a café, bar, dining rooms, quiet lounges and family rooms, a library, garden room, cinema room, and an on-site hairdresser. Staff facilities will include fully equipped catering areas along with showers and changing rooms. Designed with accessibility in mind, the care home will have spacious corridors and levelled pathways throughout, as well as ample parking, with 30 spaces in total, including six electric vehicle charging points and two accessible bays. Set in Chingford, in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the site is conveniently located with access to Sewardstone Road, the M25, and central Chingford. Public transport is also available with the 215 TFL bus service offering direct connections to Chingford Station, Chingford Mount, and Walthamstow Central tube station. Surrounded by residential areas and peaceful parks, the site promises an attractive setting for future residents. Mandip Bhogal, Partner for Healthcare at Knight Frank, commented, “With no new care homes recently constructed in Chingford and an ageing population, there’s an undersupply of modern care facilities in the area. This transaction will deliver a much-needed, purpose-built care home that will benefit the local community.” Richard Hardy, Managing Director at Lansdown (parent company to Lochinvar Care Limited), added, “It’s been a pleasure working with Knight Frank on the sale of Sewardstone Road, which will soon provide a sustainable, high-quality care home to meet the increasing demand in this area. This is the first of several key care developments we’ll be advancing across London in the coming years.” Keeley Sharp, Strategic Land Director at LNT Care Developments, shared, “We’re thrilled to bring 66 essential care beds to Chingford. Site work has already started, and we’re excited to welcome the community to this new facility by early 2026.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Planning approval has been granted for a 60-bed care home at the prominent junction of St John’s Road and Manse Road in Corstorphine, Edinburgh. Proposed by Northcare Scotland in partnership with Unum, this project aims to revitalise a long-vacant site in the heart of the Corstorphine Conservation Area, transforming the former Woolworths location into a high-quality care facility that both meets the city’s growing care needs and respects the area’s unique heritage. Carefully designed to reflect the architectural character of Corstorphine, the development will utilise materials that align with the traditional aesthetic of the area, contributing to Edinburgh’s wider urban conservation goals. The project has been crafted in harmony with the Corstorphine Conservation Area Character Appraisal, ensuring the new building enhances the local architectural identity while also addressing the city’s demand for modern care facilities. The planning process brought challenges, including structural concerns raised by neighbouring properties and strict conservation guidelines. However, these factors have helped shape the final design, which blends modern care home functionality with sensitivity to Corstorphine’s historical environment. This project aligns with Edinburgh’s Local Development Plan, emphasising sustainable urban growth that complements the city’s character. This approval underscores Edinburgh’s balanced approach to development in historic areas, marking a positive step in adapting valuable heritage spaces to serve modern needs. By delivering a project that both preserves Corstorphine’s charm and meets essential community requirements, Edinburgh demonstrates its commitment to responsible and adaptive growth in conservation areas. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Leading retirement BTR developer launches its first London community after recognising high and growing demand for housing suitable for older people in the capital Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has today opened the doors to its fourth development, its first to open in the Greater London area. The development, Ayrton House in Mill Hill, North London, contains a mixture of 60 self-contained, one-, two- and three-bed apartments, all purpose built on the site of a historic former medical research institute. Communal features of the development include a restaurant, club room, licensed bar and wellness suite, as well as landscaped gardens. The development marks Birchgrove’s first Greater London community and was set in motion in September last year, when it acquired Ayrton House. It is also planning to open a development in West London, having now obtained planning permission for 50 apartments on a site it purchased in Chiswick in 2022. A further site being built in the Hampton Court Estate is also aimed at the West London market, with its location just a few hundred metres from the famous Hampton Court Palace in Richmond. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive of Birchgrove, said:“Birchgrove is going from strength to strength and we’re excited to have our fourth development now open, particularly as it is our very first in London, where we know demand for senior living is especially high. “It’s a common misconception among some sectors that once they get older, people want to move to the country or live by the seaside. Surveys frequently show that many retired people want to live in the bustling Capital with all its cultural attractions and this is particularly true for those who’ve lived there a long time. “We know from previous research that many older Londoners live in homes far too big for them, with over-75s in the Capital typically having at least twice the number of bedrooms they need. In a city with such a tight housing market, freeing up some of these homes could contribute to improving the overall housing situation across many demographics. “Many older people would be interested in moving to smaller properties if more suitable local options were on offer. By providing a thriving community as we open our first London development, we’re hoping we can attract more of these people into our development and eventually, roll out more London communities for those who want to continue to live in the Capital but without the burden of maintaining a property too large for them.” A report released by Age Concern in September last year revealed there were 1.4 million people aged over 60 living in London and that this group was the fastest growing demographic in the Capital. Of these, 59% felt positive about living in London, rising to 64% of those aged 75 and over. The report also found that many Londoners had deep connections to the area, with 76% reporting being happy with their family and community connections and only 16% often feeling lonely. The report also found that 70% of older Londoners owned their own home. However, many of those homes are underoccupied and could be put to better use if older Londoners had more suitable options for downsizing. Previous research carried out by Professor Les Mayhew of the International Longevity Centre and Bayes Business School found that over-75s in the capital had more than twice the number of bedrooms they needed, while those aged 65-74 had 70% more bedrooms than necessary. Birchgrove’s new Mill Hill apartments are exclusively available to independently minded people in later life. In keeping with other Birchgrove developments, all of the residences are future proof, with level-access bathrooms, wider-than-standard doorways and lifts. In addition, all Ayrton House apartments have been fitted with Nobi smart lights. These AI-driven intelligent lights are designed to detect, help prevent and even predict falls among occupants. The building is the centrepiece of the “Ridgeway Views” residential scheme, a 47-acre, 528-home project in Mill Hill’s conservation area, with many of Birchgrove’s residences having sweeping views over Totteridge Common. Founded in 2017, Birchgrove also operates three other retirement communities in the South-East, with one of these now at full capacity and operating a waiting list. It has a fifth development set to open before the end of this year in Godalming, Surrey, and four additional communities under construction. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

New 78-unit assisted living rental community close to Hampton Court Palace set to open next year Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has celebrated its latest construction milestone with the topping out of Hampton Court Estate, a new 78-unit development close to Hampton Court Palace. The ceremony was attended by a number of potential residents as well as Birchgrove CEO Honor Barratt, who inserted a ceremonial roof tile to mark the conclusion of the project’s construction. Hampton Court Estate will offer contemporary, self-contained assisted living one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments available to independently minded renters aged over 65, together with extensive communal facilities including a restaurant, club room, licensed bar, wellness suite, library and landscaped gardens. Research commissioned by Birchgrove shows that the project will deliver 107 bedrooms and help free up a further 179 bedrooms of family housing in the local area; as a result, a net increase of 72 bedrooms could be released onto the private market by using this site for assisted living, thereby helping address the local housing shortage. Having launched its first community in 2019, Birchgrove currently operates four rented communities in the South-East, with a further community in Godalming, Surrey set to open later this year. Hampton Court Estate will be the sixth Birchgrove community to open, and the second in London after Mill Hill, when it opens in 2025, with a further three communities currently under construction. The development of Birchgrove’s portfolio comes amid a chronic shortage of high-quality retirement properties for the over-65s in the South-East, and surging demand for senior living rented accommodation: according to the English Housing Survey, the number of pensioners in rented accommodation is set to double to over 1m in the next decade. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive, Birchgrove said: “I’m immensely proud to have topped out our sixth baby. We only delivered our first in 2019, so to be scaling at this rate is both a testament to the Birchgrove team and our backers and a clear indicator of surging market demand for high quality senior living rented accommodation. We’re so excited to be launching Hampton Court Estate in 2025 – the local oldies won’t know what hit them.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals