Willmott Dixon has secured a multi-million-pound contract to construct a new 28-bed secure children’s home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, aimed at providing enhanced facilities for young people. The project, procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, saw Willmott Dixon chosen by Lincolnshire County Council last year to develop design proposals for the
Plans are taking shape for the development of a £30m, 83-bed Extra Care scheme in Morpeth town centre, a significant investment in the provision of much-needed specialist housing in the county. Northern housing association Karbon Homes, is working in partnership with Northumberland County Council to bring forward the new affordable
Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life, has officially reached completion at its new development on Regiment Way in Chelmsford. Launching later this year, The Beacons – Arthur Ashby Court will be offering one and two-bedroom apartments for people over 55 comprising a
Russ Beresford joins leading retirement BTR operator to help drive aggressive expansion Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has appointed a new Development Director to help fuel the company’s growth as it gears up to meet the anticipated surge in demand for rental homes suitable for older people
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of a development site in Pagham, West Sussex, which comes with planning permission for an 80-bedroom care home. The site measures circa 1.31 acres and is located north of the Sussex coastal village of Pagham. The care home scheme,
Puma Property Finance (Puma) has announced that it has facilitated £20 million in loans (£13 million and £7 million) for Zephyr X to develop two new care homes in the South-East. The projects will create new facilities in areas with a significant shortage of care beds, specifically in Reigate, Surrey,
In the past week later living operator and developer, Inspired Villages, achieved planning approval for further phases at two of its future communities. Arun Lea, Broadbridge Heath and Little Mount Lake, near Tunbridge Wells, were both approved in detail by their respective councils. Phase 1 of Inspired’s Little Mount Lake
A NEW high-quality residential care scheme designed to promote and maximise independent living has completed in London, providing 70 new homes and tackling the wider housing crisis in the area. Reardon Court in Enfield, located on the site of a former care home in Cosgrove Close, has been designed to
Work on a new residential care scheme designed to promote and maximise independent living has been completed in London, providing 70 new homes and tackling the wider housing crisis in the area. Reardon Court in Enfield, located on the site of a former care home in Cosgrove Close, has been
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of a development site in Cowbridge, South Wales, which benefits from planning consent for 50 retirement living apartments. The site was identified by Mercian Developments Limited as suitable for a retirement living development given its underlying affluent demographic and
Willmott Dixon has secured a multi-million-pound contract to construct a new 28-bed secure children’s home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, aimed at providing enhanced facilities for young people. The project, procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, saw Willmott Dixon chosen by Lincolnshire County Council last year to develop design proposals for the facility, situated on Bonemill Lane at the edge of Sleaford. Funded by the Department for Education, the home will cater to some of Lincolnshire’s most vulnerable children and serve as a national resource for secure accommodation. It replaces an existing smaller site that is coming to the end of its useful life and will help meet rising demand from a national increase in the number of children requiring both criminal justice and welfare placements. It will deliver a truly ground-breaking service, becoming a flagship project for the sector. The home is designed to reach net-zero in operation, providing an innovative partial grid solution, which will be supported by extensive solar panels and state-of-the-art power storage. The home has been designed by Kier and is due to be completed in late 2026. Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, said: “This is a hugely significant scheme, not only for Lincolnshire to address an acute need for secure accommodation, but also for the wider country as it will bring together best practice from across the UK and Europe. “It will help young people get their lives ‘back on track’ using a whole host of facilities including on-site education, wellbeing, vocational and sports facilities, as well as delivering against important sustainability credentials to make the building’s legacy especially evident.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans are taking shape for the development of a £30m, 83-bed Extra Care scheme in Morpeth town centre, a significant investment in the provision of much-needed specialist housing in the county. Northern housing association Karbon Homes, is working in partnership with Northumberland County Council to bring forward the new affordable housing scheme, helping to address the shortage of accommodation with care for residents with differing levels of care and support needs. Karbon has now exchanged contracts with Vistry North East, who will build the scheme. It will be developed alongside the third and final phase of homes at King Edwards Park – a joint venture (JV) project called Evolution Morpeth LLP which is regenerating the site of the former St George’s Hospital, in the town. Zoey Hawthorne, Assistant Director of Development Delivery at Karbon Homes, said: “This is an exciting milestone for the delivery of this new Extra Care scheme in Morpeth, which will help fill the need locally for high quality, affordable housing that provides residents with the levels of care and support they need to continue living independently.” “Alongside supporting the Council with the delivery of its Extra Care and supported housing strategy, the scheme will have community at its heart, with a bistro cafe open to the general public and multiple communal lounges and multi-use spaces for activities available to book.” The new scheme will consist of a mix of one and two-bed apartments, 15 of which will be designed for people with dementia and two apartments suitable for bariatric care. Residents will have access to 24/7 care available on site – provided in partnership between Karbon and Northumberland County Council. Northumberland County Councillor Wendy Pattison, Portfolio Holder for Caring for Adults, said: “Our aim is to improve access to affordable, high quality, and adaptable accommodation for varying levels of need. “This includes developing accommodation that offers an integrated package which could consist of technology, disability-friendly design, and most importantly, care and support to enable people to continue to live as independently as possible in the community. “This extra care development is a welcome contribution to our strategy for meeting the changing needs of our population.” The JV partners, Vistry North East – which is part of Vistry Group – and Home Group, invited Karbon to become part of the project, after sharing the concept of including an Extra Care offer at the development with Northumberland County Council. Vistry Group is the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed tenure homes. Delivered through the Countryside Partnerships brand, the group is creating thousands of homes every year for the affordable and private marketplaces. Andrew Rennie, Development Director, Vistry North East, said: “We are delighted to have exchanged contracts with Karbon Homes for the delivery of this Extra Care scheme – part of our wider delivery of new homes at King Edwards Park. “We have extensive experience delivering projects of this nature across the region – including recent Premier Guarantee Quality Award winning schemes in Penshaw and Guisborough – and we look forward to starting work here, later in the year.” The Extra Care scheme is to be part-funded by Homes England, through Karbon’s Strategic Partnership with the Government’s housing delivery agency. Northumberland County Council is also funding a contribution to the capital costs. The strategic partnership has provided Karbon with £165million in funding to deliver 2,200 new affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire over the next few years, 10% of which has been dedicated to the development of new homes for people requiring additional support needs. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life, has officially reached completion at its new development on Regiment Way in Chelmsford. Launching later this year, The Beacons – Arthur Ashby Court will be offering one and two-bedroom apartments for people over 55 comprising a mix of shared ownership and rental properties. The completion of the development will provide a total of 82 flats across four floors with communal facilities including a reception area, lounge, café, hair and beauty salon, wellness room and training room. Joanne Giles, Anchor’s Head of New Homes and Customer Care, said: “The official completion of The Beacons marks a large and very exciting step for Anchor as this exciting new development is a key step in helping Anchor to achieve its vision of creating 500 homes a year over a rolling ten-year period. The development will offer residents the very best of independent living, providing homes where people can continue to love living in later life.” Excellent connectivity and amenities make Chelmsford and The Beacons the perfect place for later living. There is ample greenery at your doorstep and all grocery stores close at hand. The proximity to London also offers residents the option to have an exciting day trip into the UK’s capital. Anchor has a strong development programme and is looking ahead to opening a number of new sites in the coming months. Locations include Rochester and Stockport, both of which will provide shared ownership and rental properties with excellent communal facilities. To find out more about Anchor’s new sites, please visit: https://www.anchornewhomes.org.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Russ Beresford joins leading retirement BTR operator to help drive aggressive expansion Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has appointed a new Development Director to help fuel the company’s growth as it gears up to meet the anticipated surge in demand for rental homes suitable for older people over the next 10 years. Russ Beresford comes to the firm with more than 20 years of experience in the property development industry. Prior to joining Birchgrove, he was Head of Development at co-living provider The Collective and has also held roles at Landsec, Blackstone Property Management, Hammerson and Lend Lease. In addition to co-living, his previous roles span a number of other sub-sectors of the property world, including Central London office development, out-of-town retail and city centre mixed use developments. The appointment of Beresford follows two other appointments from outside the later living sector late last year, with Marcus Hodges joining as Chief Operating Officer and Raphaël Koifman taking up the post of Chief Financial Officer. According to Birchgrove’s CEO, Honor Barratt, all three appointments were strategic moves to bring fresh thinking into the business. “At Birchgrove we’ve always been experts on senior living. However, we recognised that there was a wealth of knowledge we could bring in from outside our particular area that could help us grow the business at the scale needed to meet the huge demographic shifts taking place in our society. “According to CBRE research, the UK already has a 614,000 shortfall in senior living units and that number is only going to get larger if estimates on the number of people renting in retirement are to be believed – a Pensions Policy Institute report published last year predicted that by 2041, 17% of pensioners will be renting privately. “We’re delighted to have secured someone with Russ’s background, who has expertise in many areas that I don’t. We believe he can help us expand at scale, as well as making sure we’re planning our developments so we’re running buildings efficiently for the long term, maximising sellable area and constructing buildings with flexibility as our customers change in the future.” Russ Beresford added: “This post is a development professional’s dream – a well-backed company with huge expansion plans and an emphasis on innovation. I’m looking forward to playing a role in the company’s growth.” Founded in 2017, Birchgrove operates four retirement communities across the South-East, with two of these now at full capacity and operating waiting lists. It has a fifth development set to open before the end of this year, with four additional communities under construction. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of a development site in Pagham, West Sussex, which comes with planning permission for an 80-bedroom care home. The site measures circa 1.31 acres and is located north of the Sussex coastal village of Pagham. The care home scheme, delivered by Frontier Estates, comprises a state-of-the-art 80-bedroom property with 100 per cent en suite wet rooms and a private patio terrace for each resident. Accommodation is spread across three wings and 2.5 storeys and surrounded by secure landscaped gardens. Following a confidential sales process with Sara Hartill at Christie & Co, the site and scheme have been purchased by Simply Develop UK, which plans to open the home in Q1 2026. Harriet Spain, Development Manager, at Frontier Estates, comments, “Frontier was delighted to secure this site due to its excellent prominence and ideal demographics. The wider Pagham market continues to demonstrate robust potential, making this location particularly promising for this new care development. We would like to extend our thanks to Christie & Co and Simply Develop UK for their commitment in facilitating and securing this successful deal; we look forward to seeing the completed development in due course.” Neil Dobbie, Land Director at Simply Develop UK, comments, “We’re delighted to have acquired this site and believe it to be a perfect fit for our ever-expanding premium Morar Brand. This 80-bed home shall accept its first residents in Q1 2026 and will incorporate typical Morar luxuries like private dining, a cinema room, sunlit terraces, and a hair studio. With thanks to Sara Hartill from Christie & Co and Ben Gant from Freeths for their professional assistance with this acquisition.” Sara Hartill, Associate Director – Healthcare Investment & Development at Christie & Co, comments, “We are delighted to have completed our latest transaction with Frontier Estates and Simply Develop UK. This particular site in Pagham offers outstanding prominence and a superb micro location. These factors, combined with the highly supportive demographics which demonstrate a robust requirement for new build beds, made it an obvious acquisition for Simply Develop UK as they continue to grow the Morar brand across the UK. We look forward to bringing forward new market-leading opportunities with Frontier Estates over the coming months and assisting Simply Develop UK with their expansion.” The development site was sold for an undisclosed price. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Puma Property Finance (Puma) has announced that it has facilitated £20 million in loans (£13 million and £7 million) for Zephyr X to develop two new care homes in the South-East. The projects will create new facilities in areas with a significant shortage of care beds, specifically in Reigate, Surrey, and Whitchurch, Reading. The £13m loan will deliver an 80-bed all electric new care home in Reigate, Surrey, the site of a former independent hospital. The new home will include amenities such as a hairdresser, cinema/entertainment room, private dining room, café area and a gym. With 100% wet room provision the new home will address the significant shortfall in the well populated Reigate area with only 25% of the existing supply having been built since 2000 and a 474 wet room shortfall1. Construction is underway and the care home is expected to reach practical completion in December 2025. The £7m loan will deliver a new 45-bed care home in Whitchurch, Reading to address significant demand in the area. In particular, there is a notable shortfall in ensuite wet rooms, with only 29% of the existing supply providing this product. The new care home is being built in a well populated area where the demand for care beds exceeds 800 per 100,000 people1. The home will offer all ensuite wet rooms, plus extensive amenities for residents including lounges, dining rooms, therapy room, hair salon plus a café/bistro. Construction is progressing and the care home is expected to reach practical completion in January 2025. Puma has now supported Zephyr X on four care home developments. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In the past week later living operator and developer, Inspired Villages, achieved planning approval for further phases at two of its future communities. Arun Lea, Broadbridge Heath and Little Mount Lake, near Tunbridge Wells, were both approved in detail by their respective councils. Phase 1 of Inspired’s Little Mount Lake community in the District of Wealden, West Sussex, was approved in 2021. This latest decision on Phases 2 and 3, that was unanimously approved by Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee last week, will deliver a further 91 specialist homes for over 65s. This will support the significant need for age-appropriate housing options for older people across the District while freeing up existing family homes in the area. Speaking at the committee, Cllr Johanna Howell, Wealden District Councillor for Frant & Wadhurst, said: “I visited an Inspired Village unit up in Leeds, near Leeds Castle, and was very impressed by them.” She added: “I would like to thank Inspired Villages for listening, for being there and being receptive to ideas – they are model for other people as to how they should go forward.” Inspired Villages are currently in the process of appointing a primary contractor to deliver the first phase. In addition to the jobs and apprenticeships created during construction, the new retirement community is expected to create approximately 30 full-time equivalent jobs for local people once Little Mount Lake is complete. The second success was for its Arun Lea community located in Broadbridge Heath, West Sussex. Phase 1 was approved in November last year for the village centre with restaurant, café and shop, as well as a swimming pool and sauna, all open to the wider community, in addition to 47 homes. Plans for Phases 2 and 3 were submitted in February this year for an extra 94 homes and approved by Horsham District Council last week. Ellen Pearce, Head of Planning at Inspired Villages commented, said: “We’re really pleased with the outcomes for our Arun Lea and Little Mount Lake communities as a tremendous amount of effort goes into each planning application. In the case of Little Mount Lake, we were keen to demonstrate to Wealden District Council Planning Committee Members what life at Inspired Villages looks like so it was fantastic to be able to share that with a tour around Ledian Gardens in Leeds, Kent. “We are now working toward the submission of a further seven planning applications for the remainder of the year and remain optimistic that the positive views of the council members and officers at these two communities will be echoed in other Local Authorities.” Inspired Villages CEO, Jamie Bunce continued: “Getting the green light to grow these two net-zero communities is a great way to kick off the second half of 2024. The simple fact is the UK needs more housing of every kind, the new National Planning Policy Framework states 1.5m new homes and these outcomes help towards that goal with a further 185 age-appropriate homes for our rapidly ageing population. It’s a positive step in the right direction and I would like to extend a huge well done to the planning team for all their hard work and dedication in making this happen.” Inspired Villages is an operator and developer of integrated retirement communities across the UK. It currently operates nine villages, which are home to over 1,200 residents. For more information visit www.inspiredvillages.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A NEW high-quality residential care scheme designed to promote and maximise independent living has completed in London, providing 70 new homes and tackling the wider housing crisis in the area. Reardon Court in Enfield, located on the site of a former care home in Cosgrove Close, has been designed to enhance individuals’ quality of life through access to a multi-purpose environment. Two communal courtyards, a central social space, and several auxiliary function rooms come together to deliver a community within itself, with hobby rooms, a library, and hairdressing area promoting a sense of independence and connectivity between residents. Encircling the internal courtyards, accessible corridors have been incorporated into the design to enhance communal living and promote social inclusion. Leading multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard is behind the scheme, collaborating closely with contractor GRAHAM and Enfield Council to deliver architecture, landscape architecture, project management, contract administration, clerk, technical advisory, M&E, sustainability and energy, and civil and structural engineering services. John Clarke, director at Pick Everard, said: “This has been a rewarding project, focusing on a specialist area of residential living that draws on our vast experience in delivering affordable and high-quality care environments. “The different elements of the scheme come together to create a mini community within Enfield where residents can enjoy a varied offering of active social and wellbeing opportunities, aided by an inclusive and disability conscious design. Each flat benefits from an outward facing balcony, with those on the ground floor having access to a garden space to really enhance a sense of independence that is present throughout the scheme. “We now look forward to seeing residents and staff make use of this fantastic new space, which will positively impact generations to come.” The Enfield scheme has been commended by local delegates for its wider impact on aiding housing shortages in the area, with older residents able to move into high quality housing, while increasing the availability of family homes in the borough. As well as maximising housing opportunities, the scheme has also incorporated a green design philosophy, with more than 100 solar photovoltaic panels installed on the roof, alongside sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) to help with rainwater management. Social value was a key part of the project, with careers talks held at nearby schools and material suppliers chosen in the local area. Pat O’Hare, regional director at GRAHAM, said: “Reardon Court will provide independence, safety, and comfort for residents for years to come. This project underscores the importance of meeting the evolving needs of an ageing population who require extra support and care. “With its thoughtful design, comprehensive care services, and commitment to fostering a sense of community, Reardon Court sets a new standard for independent living in later years.” Chris Witterick, key account manager at Procure Partnerships Framework, added: “We are delighted to have supported Enfield Council in the procurement of this project. Reardon Court will nurture independence and provide the residents with comfort, community, and expert care. “The considered design choices on this project, coupled with the expert construction delivery by GRAHAM has set a new precedent for extra care facilities across the UK.” For more information on Pick Everard and the services it provides, visit: www.pickeverard.co.uk/
Work on a new residential care scheme designed to promote and maximise independent living has been completed in London, providing 70 new homes and tackling the wider housing crisis in the area. Reardon Court in Enfield, located on the site of a former care home in Cosgrove Close, has been designed to enhance individuals’ quality of life through access to a multi-purpose environment. Two communal courtyards, a central social space, and several auxiliary function rooms come together to deliver a community within itself, with hobby rooms, a library, and a hairdressing area promoting a sense of independence and connectivity between residents. Encircling the internal courtyards, accessible corridors have been incorporated into the design to enhance communal living and promote social inclusion. Leading multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard is behind the scheme, collaborating closely with contractor GRAHAM and Enfield Council to deliver architecture, landscape architecture, project management, contract administration, clerk, technical advisory, M&E, sustainability and energy, and civil and structural engineering services. John Clarke, director at Pick Everard, said: “This has been a rewarding project, focusing on a specialist area of residential living that draws on our vast experience in delivering affordable and high-quality care environments. “The different elements of the scheme come together to create a mini-community within Enfield where residents can enjoy a varied offering of active social and wellbeing opportunities, aided by an inclusive and disability-conscious design. Each flat benefits from an outward-facing balcony, with those on the ground floor having access to a garden space to really enhance a sense of independence that is present throughout the scheme. “We now look forward to seeing residents and staff make use of this fantastic new space, which will positively impact generations to come.” The Enfield scheme has been commended by local delegates for its wider impact on aiding housing shortages in the area, with older residents able to move into high-quality housing, while increasing the availability of family homes in the borough. In addition to maximising housing opportunities, the scheme has also incorporated a green design philosophy, with more than 100 solar photovoltaic panels installed on the roof alongside sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) to help with rainwater management. Social value was a key part of the project, with career talks held at nearby schools and material suppliers chosen in the local area. Pat O’Hare, regional director at GRAHAM, said: “Reardon Court will provide independence, safety, and comfort for residents for years to come. This project underscores the importance of meeting the evolving needs of an ageing population who require extra support and care. “With its thoughtful design, comprehensive care services, and commitment to fostering a sense of community, Reardon Court sets a new standard for independent living in later years.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of a development site in Cowbridge, South Wales, which benefits from planning consent for 50 retirement living apartments. The site was identified by Mercian Developments Limited as suitable for a retirement living development given its underlying affluent demographic and proximity to a wide range of amenities on Cowbridge’s bustling High Street. McCarthy Stone submitted and secured planning consent for a scheme of 50 retirement living apartments (C3) with communal facilities and has subsequently acquired the site from Mercian. Leah Tattersall Land Manager at McCarthy Stone, comments, “It is great news to complete on this site acquired from Mercian Developments after successfully securing a first-time planning consent. We very much look forward to bringing more high-quality retirement living homes to South Wales. Thanks to Christie & Co and Mercian Developments for their collaboration in making this happen.” Chris Towers, Managing Director of Mercian Developments, comments, “We are delighted to have worked with McCarthy Stone on this project, who were successful in securing this planning consent, which is a prime example of a great team effort. This strategically located site will bring forward the redevelopment of a former farmstead, which will be regenerated to deliver new retirement apartments for the elderly residents of Cowbridge and beyond that will integrate well within the local community.” Jordan Rundle, Director – Head of Healthcare Development at Christie & Co, who acted for Mercian Developments in the sale, comments, “According to the ONS, as of 2021 the total population in Wales was circa 3.1 million, with those aged 65 years and over accounting for circa 21%, equating to approximately 650,000 people. Consequently, there is a significant opportunity for developers and operators to provide much-needed future-proof later living accommodation in the country. McCarthy Stone’s high-quality retirement living scheme in the desirable market town of Cowbridge is another example of increased development activity we are now seeing as a trend in Wales.” The site was sold for an undisclosed price. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
