Later living provider Anchor has recently announced the partners for its Development Consultancy framework helping to meet the not-for-profit provider’s ambitious plans to deliver 5,700 new homes over the next ten years. Anchor, England’s largest provider of specialist housing and care for people in later life, will deliver the schemes
Three landmark care homes in Derbyshire have finished pivotal works this summer to improve facilities for residents. Led by Midlands-based contractor, G F Tomlinson, and delivered for Derbyshire County Council through the Pagabo Refit and Refurbishment Framework, the works have included a range of improvements to bring the ageing buildings
Plans to deliver a cutting-edge Extra Care scheme in Hebburn Town Centre has been given the go ahead this week by South Tyneside Council’s planning committee. The £26million development from Karbon Homes will see 95 affordable homes developed on the site behind Hebburn Central, consisting of 20 two-bed and 75
A provider of rented retired homes has acquired an apartment development in London. Birchgrove has bought a total of 78 apartments in Hampton Court growing its portfolio across the South-East. The £39 million deal has been completed with Octagon Developments, who design and build high quality homes throughout Southern England.
Westminster City Council has given its backing to Squire & Partners-designed proposals for a 10-storey luxury care facility near the River Thames and Smith Square. The practice’s plans for care-home operator Medici Lifecare will see the demolition of 1930s Art Deco block Dean Bradley House, which stands on Horseferry Road,
An important milestone has been celebrated in the construction of Kingsley Healthcare’s flagship luxury King’s Court Nursing Home in Holt, north Norfolk. Directors of Kingsley and Norfolk contractor R G Carter were joined by staff from both companies for a traditional topping out ceremony to mark the completion of the
Representatives from Anchor and Higgins Partnerships have come together to celebrate the completion of the new retirement community at St Andrews Park on the former RAF Uxbridge site in West London. The £21 million retirement community features 72 one and two bedroom apartments offering home ownership and independent living with
A memorable topping-out ceremony was held yesterday, Tuesday 1 August, to celebrate the £55 million Senior Living Village in Flitwick, as the independent living apartment blocks reached its highest point. The event brought together a cheerful crowd on the roof, including Executive Member Cllr. Mark Smith who inaugurated the planting
Later living provider Anchor is seeking contractors to deliver a repairs and investment service providing well-maintained, quality homes across their property portfolio. 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,
Later living provider Inspired Villages has acquired a 27-acre site in Edenbridge, Kent. The deal is part of a joint venture with NatWest Pension Group Fund and Legal & General. The site has planning permission for 184,000 square feet of accommodation including a 100-unit Integrated Retirement Community. Inspired will now
Later living provider Anchor has recently announced the partners for its Development Consultancy framework helping to meet the not-for-profit provider’s ambitious plans to deliver 5,700 new homes over the next ten years. Anchor, England’s largest provider of specialist housing and care for people in later life, will deliver the schemes across England, providing communities for people aged 55 and over with homes available for sale, shared ownership and to rent. The framework will run for 4 years from August 2023 to August 2027, with the partnerships involving a total of 43 consultants including architects, structural engineers, employer agents, cost consultants, principal designers and planning consultants. Steve Hogben, Director of Technical and Commercial services for Anchor, said: “With such a large framework stemming from our ambitious plans to further our provision for later living across the country, it was important we sourced the correct experience and expertise for our long term partnerships. We were very impressed by the submissions we received and are looking forward to working with our chosen partners to help deliver Anchor’s development strategy.” Oliver Boundy, Executive Director of Development at Anchor, said: “With housing, care and support for our older population needed more than ever, we are passionate about helping people enjoy later life.” “Anchor is proudly not-for-profit, which means every penny we make is reinvested into our properties and services, building more and innovating for the future so that people can have a home where they love living in later life. Our mission is to create communities that bring people together, encourage neighbourliness and reduce isolation while providing support services that give residents peace of mind.” “Anchor manages 54,000 homes for rent, sale and shared ownership to those aged 55 and over, operating across almost 1,700 sites and serving more than 65,000 residents. Our 10-year plan is to build on that success and help address the gap in service provision for older people in England.” To find out more about the company’s growth strategy and vision for the future, or if you are a landowner, developer or site agent with suitable land then visit: www.anchorhanover.org.uk/professionals/land-acquisition. The full list of all appointed suppliers to the framework include: Lots 1& 2 – Architects: Lot 1 – North: Lot 2 – South: Lots 3 & 4 – Structural Engineers Lot 3 – North: Lot 4 – South: Lots 5 & 6 – Employers Agent/Cost Consultant Lot 5 – North: Lot 6 – North: Lots 7 & 8 – M & E Consultants Lot 7 – North: Lot 8 – South Lot 9 – Principal Designers Lot 9 – National Lot 10 – Planning Consultants Lot 10 – National Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Three landmark care homes in Derbyshire have finished pivotal works this summer to improve facilities for residents. Led by Midlands-based contractor, G F Tomlinson, and delivered for Derbyshire County Council through the Pagabo Refit and Refurbishment Framework, the works have included a range of improvements to bring the ageing buildings up to an approved standard to enhance the experience for residents. The three schemes include £3.1m works to Briar Close House Care Home in Borrowash, £2.9m works to New Bassett House Care Home in Shirebrook and £2.7m works to Rowthorne Care Home in Swanwick, all of which started in summer 2021 and are due to be finished by autumn 2023. Derbyshire County Council commissioned the improvements as part of a scheme of major refurbishment works to council-run care homes across Derbyshire. Improvement upgrades included asbestos removal, structural roof repairs, new insulation, partition alterations, new ceilings, plaster works, repairs to doors and ironmongery together with the installation of new sprinkler and fire safety systems and new kitchen facilities. The schemes were finished off externally with hard and soft landscaping which included new planters, pergolas, and decorative garden areas for residents to enjoy. The landscape improvements have ensured that all outdoor spaces are safe and accessible, with wider paths and raised beds to enable residents to tend to and enjoy new planting areas. The outside areas have also been designed to be Dementia friendly – and include a sensory garden with lights, wind chimes and fragrant flowers and plants specifically to stimulate participation. Civils works involved the construction of new footpaths and roadways to improve circulation and make the homes easily accessible to care staff and visitors. New drainage has also been installed throughout the sites. As part of their commitment to the environment and supporting local wildlife, G F Tomlinson installed hedgehog highways at each care home. Each project achieved scores ranging from 38 to 41 ‘Very Good’ on the National Considerate Constructors scheme, in recognition of the consideration the contractor gave to residents, staff and nearby neighbours during the construction period. Giving back to the local communities, G F Tomlinson provided a range of social value opportunities at each care home. At Briar Close, the team provided 24 days of work experience to students from local schools and colleges. Other initiatives included Christmas gifts to local residents and furniture replacement following the handover of each area. At Rowthorne, a new washing machine and temporary kitchen was fitted, local litter picks and hedge cutting took place and 15 days of work experience for local young people was provided. The company also donated a defibrillator to the Rowthorne and New Bassett Care homes on completion of the schemes. At New Bassett Care Home, old wardrobes and timber pergolas were disposed of, and the care home entrance slabs replaced, along with moving furniture back in after works and re-fitting curtains, all of which were not part of the original works package. Chris Flint, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “Delivering these pivotal works for three main care homes in the county has been a tremendous honour and we’re proud that the improvements will ensure the preservation of these much-needed residential care homes as part of the local social care provision. “Despite delays due to Covid-19 vaccination requirements, as we approach completion, we’re looking forward to residents moving back into the new and enhanced homes which will significantly improve their quality of living. “We’d like to say a big thank you to our different site teams for delivering exceptional quality and going above and beyond to deliver social value opportunities in the local communities.” Scott Rice, Project Manager, Concertus Derbyshire Limited, said: ““Projects like this make a real difference to the lives of our most vulnerable elderly people. At all times, GFT acknowledged they were working in what are in reality people’s homes. The homes remained occupied during the works which took place over a number of phases. “GFT worked closely alongside the home management in order to minimise any disruption – the site teams and operatives have been recognised by the home managers for their consideration towards the residents. Covid threw us a curve ball, and throughout the project the nature of working in phases on old buildings led to many unforeseeable issues arising which were dealt with smoothly and efficiently. We have been kept appraised of progress and changes at all stages which has resulted in remarkable high-quality improvements to what were very tired and outdated properties.” Elliott Talbot, Framework Manager for Pagabo’s Refit and Refurbishment Framework, said: “We’re delighted to see these care home improvements reaching completion thanks to the great work of G F Tomlinson. Our Refit and Refurbishment Framework allowed Derbyshire County Council to find the most suited contractor for this project and streamlined the whole procurement process. A massive well done to everyone who made this scheme a reality.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans to deliver a cutting-edge Extra Care scheme in Hebburn Town Centre has been given the go ahead this week by South Tyneside Council’s planning committee. The £26million development from Karbon Homes will see 95 affordable homes developed on the site behind Hebburn Central, consisting of 20 two-bed and 75 one-bed apartments, 17 of which will be the specialist dementia apartments. Zoey Hawthorne, Assistant Director of Development Delivery at Karbon Homes welcomed the planning decision. “We’re pleased to hear the news that our Hebburn Gardens Extra Care development has been given the planning go ahead, providing modern, high-quality homes that will help meet the demand for specialist housing in the South Tyneside area. “This is the start of an exciting partnership with South Tyneside Council, to help ensure local residents have access to affordable housing that provides them with the levels of care and support they need to continue living independently.” Following the Hebburn scheme, there is the potential for the development of two more extra schemes, delivered as a partnership project between Karbon Homes and South Tyneside Council. Combined, the three schemes could deliver up to 300 new homes, helping address the lack of specialist affordable accommodation options in the borough, that help people of varying ages over 18, with differing levels of care and support needs, to live well and independently. 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: “This is excellent news and means we can now start putting these exciting plans into action. “One of our key ambitions is for people to stay healthy and well throughout their lives. Residents have told us that they would prefer to live independently in the community for as long as possible, rather than going into residential care, and it is this kind of affordable, specialist accommodation that will enable people to do that. “This scheme will allow not just older people, but younger adults with care needs to live in their local community with support.” The delivery of the Hebburn scheme is expected to be part-funded by Homes England, through Karbon Homes’ Strategic Partnership with the Government’s housing delivery agency. The strategic partnership has provided Karbon with 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
A provider of rented retired homes has acquired an apartment development in London. Birchgrove has bought a total of 78 apartments in Hampton Court growing its portfolio across the South-East. The £39 million deal has been completed with Octagon Developments, who design and build high quality homes throughout Southern England. Octagon Developments will deliver the apartments on a turnkey basis by 2025. This is Birchgrove’s eighth development with their equity partners Bridges Fund Management and follows the successful exit of its first two neighbourhoods to M&G last year. The debt is provided by Beaufort Capital and is their fourth deal with Birchgrove. The project’s GDV is forecast to increase to £68m once all units are fully let. The development will provide 78 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. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive, Birchgrove said: “Our new site at Hampton Court will encapsulate all the benefits of the Birchgrove offering: beautiful, purpose-built apartments, a flexible rental model, publicly accessible communal spaces and a development that frees up homes for local families. Imagine being able to sit on your balcony and look over the Thames into the back garden of Henry VIII – who wouldn’t want to live like that? “With more and more retirees looking to rent, London is firmly in our sights to expand our portfolio, and having secured sites in Chiswick and Hampton Court we look forward to announcing further exciting news in the capital soon.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Westminster City Council has given its backing to Squire & Partners-designed proposals for a 10-storey luxury care facility near the River Thames and Smith Square. The practice’s plans for care-home operator Medici Lifecare will see the demolition of 1930s Art Deco block Dean Bradley House, which stands on Horseferry Road, to make way for the development. The eight-storey office building is not nationally listed, but is a local “building of merit” in the Smith Square Conservation Area. Squire’s proposals are a rejig of a 2017 approval for the site for developer Mayfair Charities. That consent was for a new office, retail and residential block, but it was not implemented. Members of Westminster’s Planning Committee on Tuesday granted Squire and Medici Lifecare consent for a “flexible” scheme allowing the new building to be used either as a care home or as a post-operative care facility with clinical and retail elements. The care-home version would include 134 living units along with a library, restaurant, communal lounges and quiet rooms, therapy rooms, an art studio and a hydrotherapy pool. The alternative plan would offer 40 post operative care units, a hydrotherapy pool, 6,152sq m of space for clinical use, and two non-food shop units at ground-floor level. Both versions deliver new structures with a gross internal area of around 10,360sq m – an uplift of more than 3,000sq m on the current building. Squire said its proposals were a low-carbon development that would deliver much-needed healthcare infrastructure in an all-electric building. Partner Murray Levinson said the practice’s design took inspiration from the adjacent grade II-listed Belgravia House building, while its red-brick panels and Portland stone piers reflected styles found in the conservation area. “Our design complements the grandeur of brick and stone buildings in the conservation area, where a tripartite elevation of a central stone bay is flanked by brick wings,” he said. Toby Burgess, Head of Corporate Strategy and Property Development at Medici Lifecare said: “Successfully obtaining planning consent, for one of prime Central London’s few Landmark Healthcare Facilities, continues to demonstrate our ability to overcome the high barriers of entry within our healthcare model.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
An important milestone has been celebrated in the construction of Kingsley Healthcare’s flagship luxury King’s Court Nursing Home in Holt, north Norfolk. Directors of Kingsley and Norfolk contractor R G Carter were joined by staff from both companies for a traditional topping out ceremony to mark the completion of the roof. Welcoming everyone to the rooftop of the building, in Hempstead Road, R G Carter Joint Managing Director James Carter said: “The provenance of any building is about the people who designed it and the people who built it and that’s why it’s fitting to get everyone together today to mark the building’s watertightness in a traditional beer pouring ceremony.” Praising the collaboration with Kingsley’s design team, he said they were now “well along the journey” to completing the project in time for the care home to open in January. Kingsley’s Chief Investment Officer Muj Malik said: “We are delighted to be working on our first project with R G Carter who bring the same values as a trusted family business in the region. We hope this will be just the beginning of a long and successful relationship with them.” He said King’s Court was Kingsley’s flagship project, realising their vision of developing truly next-generation care homes. The home will provide 66 luxury bedrooms, including larger premium rooms, some with terraces or garden access. Facilities will include a hairdressing and therapy salon, a cinema, a library, a community café and a private dining room. A top team of interior designers will ensure the décor and furnishings of the home match the quality of the building. Two acres of landscaped gardens will include a delightful woodland walk with wheelchair access. As well as providing a much-needed facility for quality nursing, dementia, residential and respite care, King’s Court will also create more than 80 well-paid jobs giving a considerable boost to the local economy. The care home was designed by Kingsley’s Group Design Director Rob Patkai who said: “We are proud to be delivering our vision of a truly next-generation home, built with resident wellbeing in mind. “Its convenient location on the edge of town provides easy access to all parts of north Norfolk.” King’s Court is the 35th care home in the UK opened by Kingsley Healthcare and is one of an exciting pipeline of next generation nursing homes the company is rolling out across the country. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Representatives from Anchor and Higgins Partnerships have come together to celebrate the completion of the new retirement community at St Andrews Park on the former RAF Uxbridge site in West London. 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/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A memorable topping-out ceremony was held yesterday, Tuesday 1 August, to celebrate the £55 million Senior Living Village in Flitwick, as the independent living apartment blocks reached its highest point. 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. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Later living provider Anchor is seeking contractors to deliver a repairs and investment service providing well-maintained, quality homes across their property portfolio. 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. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Later living provider Inspired Villages has acquired a 27-acre site in Edenbridge, Kent. The deal is part of a joint venture with NatWest Pension Group Fund and Legal & General. 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.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
