Residential : Care & Retirement News

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON SPECIALIST CARE HOME IN LEEDS

Specialist care provider, Exemplar Health Care, has begun on-site construction for its new £7.7M specialist care home in Leeds. The new 41 bed, 4-unit care home named Hillside Court, began construction in September, with plans for the home to open to residents in winter 2023, which will create over 150

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Catterick Integrated Care Campus Receives Approval

Catterick Integrated Care Campus Receives Approval

The new Catterick Integrated Care Campus has just received planning approval from the the National Health Service (NHS) and Ministry of Defence (MOD). The development, which has been more than seven years in the making, will provide a range of healthcare services for Armed Forces personnel and their families based

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Work starts on high quality care home in Rayleigh

LEADING East Midlands contractor Kori Construction has broken ground on a new care home development in Rayleigh, Essex, in a contractor worth £10m. The business is bringing forward the high quality, 60-bedroom facility on Rawreth Lane in the town, on behalf of independent care provider Barchester Healthcare. The care home

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Stepnell Completes Work at Care Home in Nuneaton

Stepnell Completes Work at Care Home in Nuneaton

Contractor Stepnell has completed construction of a new purpose-built £6 million residential care home for children, located in the heart of Warwickshire, Nuneaton. The care home called The Forge was designed by Miller Prestige Homes in collaboration with architects IDP Group. “The Forge therapeutic community home is a significant development

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Modern Retirement Village Takes Step Forward

The development of a modern retirement village in the Havering area of London has taken a major leap forward. Demolition has begun on the former Solar, Serena and Sunrise Courts site to make way for the sheltered accommodation. Local supplier Downwell Demolition is delivering the work. When complete, the site

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Optima Windows Chosen for Retirement Village

The refurbishment of two tower blocks, together with the construction of a new low rise apartment block to create 224 one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments in Nottingham benefited from Profile 22’s Optima windows. As a Category A subcontractor with Willmott Dixon the company was invited to tender for a

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Latest Issue
Issue 334 : Nov 2025

Residential : Care & Retirement News

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON SPECIALIST CARE HOME IN LEEDS

Specialist care provider, Exemplar Health Care, has begun on-site construction for its new £7.7M specialist care home in Leeds. The new 41 bed, 4-unit care home named Hillside Court, began construction in September, with plans for the home to open to residents in winter 2023, which will create over 150 jobs for the local area. Hillside Court will be located on St. Anthony’s Road in Leeds, and will be Exemplar Health Care’s third home in Leeds. Once open, Hillside Court will specialise in supporting adults living with complex mental health needs, neuro-disabilities and physical disabilities. Charlotte Lloyd, Director of Commissioning at Exemplar Health Care, comments: “Hillside Court will be well-equipped to meet the needs of its new residents. Each of the 41 bedrooms will come with an en-suite wet room, and the building will feature high quality, spacious communal spaces, sensory and therapy rooms and landscaped gardens, for residents and visitors to enjoy. “As well as providing employment opportunities, there are plans in place to integrate the new care home into the local community. It’s our ambition is for the home to be a place where we host events, and where our residents can be part of the community, whether through work placements, local events or volunteering.” North-East based contractor, Walter Thompson, has been appointed to develop the specialist care home. Dave Watson, Contracts Manager at Walter Thompson, said: “We are so happy to be partnering with Exemplar Health Care again to build a brand new, state-of-the-art care home that will not only provide employment to the local community, but help those who are living with complex needs receive the highest quality of care. Construction has officially started on site and we look forward to completing the project next year.”  With over 35 homes across Yorkshire, the Midlands, the North East and North West, Exemplar Health Care provides person-centred care and rehabilitation that focuses on maximising independence, building everyday living skills and empowering people to live as fulfilled lives as possible. For further information on Exemplar Health Care, to apply for a role at Hillside Court, or to engage with the business about potential sites for new homes, visit: https://www.exemplarhc.com/care-homes/hillside-court

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Catterick Integrated Care Campus Receives Approval

Catterick Integrated Care Campus Receives Approval

The new Catterick Integrated Care Campus has just received planning approval from the the National Health Service (NHS) and Ministry of Defence (MOD). The development, which has been more than seven years in the making, will provide a range of healthcare services for Armed Forces personnel and their families based at Catterick Garrison and residents of the wider Richmondshire area. “The NHS and MOD have been working together since 2015 worked to turn the vision for an integrated health and care campus for military and local civilian populations into reality. The formal planning approval is a major milestone, moving us forward with finalising our service proposals and achieving final approvals. I would like to thank all our partners for this significant collective achievement that in time will support the needs of the local community,” said Wendy Balmain, North Yorkshire Place Director for the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (HNYICB). The purpose-build centre in the Garrison will feature primary care, advanced primary care, mental health services, physiotherapy, NHS dentistry for children and adults with a disability and voluntary and community healthcare support providers under one roof. Subject to final clinical modelling, the Catterick Integrated Care Campus should be completed in 2024. Appointed contractor, Tilbury Douglas, aims to maximise social value for the area, with a focus on new job creation and training opportunities for the local community. They will also engage with local community groups to identify ways in which they can provide support. There are plans to hold future engagement events together with partners for the local community, which will be advertised locally. “It’s fantastic to have received formal planning permission for the Integrated Care Campus. My team and the project’s design partners have worked hard to develop a scheme that the local community can be proud of. Construction of the new Integrated Care Campus will benefit the local area, both during construction through new employment and training opportunities, and for the life of the building, supporting the community with high quality health care services. My team will now focus on finalising the design and preparing the site for construction to commence early next year,” added Paul Ellenor, Regional Director of Tilbury Douglas Construction. Construction works have already commenced on site to prepare it for the start of construction in Spring 2023, with several previously unused and dilapidated buildings having been demolished due to being no longer viable for use. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News

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Work starts on high quality care home in Rayleigh

LEADING East Midlands contractor Kori Construction has broken ground on a new care home development in Rayleigh, Essex, in a contractor worth £10m. The business is bringing forward the high quality, 60-bedroom facility on Rawreth Lane in the town, on behalf of independent care provider Barchester Healthcare. The care home is part of a wider plan for a new residential scheme on land to the north of London Road which includes outline planning permission for up to 500 houses as well as non-residential facilities. Occupying a 0.44 hectare green field site, it will provide high quality living accommodation and care to elderly and frail residents, along with communal facilities, landscaped grounds and parking facilities for visitors. Wayne Bedier, Project Manager for Kori Construction at Rayleigh, said the care home had been designed with a contemporary material palette to reflect the style of the surrounding properties. The layout of the home has been carefully considered to provide a safe and secure environment for residents, along with effective infection control. Mr Bedier said: “We are delighted to be able to break ground and start work on this important development. “Rayleigh is a very popular and attractive town and as a result, there is significant demand for residential care. As in common with all Barchester Healthcare care homes, this development will provide a high quality solution, helping meet that demand. “Each bedroom will have its own private wet room and en-suite facilities, ensuring continued independent living for residents, and the wings and floors have been designed to function autonomously from each other allowing isolation to take place in the event of a virus outbreak. “This ensures that the care home will provide precisely the right balance of independent living and security, giving residents and their family members complete peace of mind.” The three storey property will have a total internal area of 3572m2. The design includes 15 ground floor bedrooms, 21 bedrooms on the first floor, and 24 on the second floor. Building materials include red multi brick walls with dark grey cladding, dark grey roof tiles and natural stone window sills. The development was also designed with sustainability in mind, achieving a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating due to PV panels on the roof, and a target to reduce water usage on site by 25%. There will also be four EV charging points in car park which has a total of 24 car parking spaces, including two disabled spaces. Mr Bedier added the development was forecast to be completed by December, 2023. “This is a fantastic scheme on a well-proportioned site,” he said. “Now work has got underway, we’re expecting to good progress on the build to ensure it is delivered on time.”

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Ayrshire Hospice appoints Principal Supply Chain Partner for capital build project

Ayrshire Hospice appoints Principal Supply Chain Partner for capital build project

The Ayrshire Hospice is pleased to announce the appointment of McLaughlin & Harvey as the Principal Supply Chain Partner (PSCP) for the organisation’s capital build project. The ambitious multi-million-pound project will see the traditional home of the Hospice at Racecourse Road in Ayr be redeveloped over the next two years with a re-opening of the site scheduled for Summer 2024. John McClintock, McLaughlin & Harvey Operations Director – Healthcare, commented, “We are delighted to have been appointed as main contractor for this meaningful project for Ayrshire Hospice. To be awarded this project is a testament to our reputation and experience in the healthcare sector for delivering high-quality builds. This is our first project under Frameworks Scotland 3; a framework managed by Health Facilities Scotland, a service under NHS National Services Scotland. We look forward to collaborating with Ayrshire Hospice and starting work on-site next year.” Julia Connelly, Ayrshire Hospice Capital Build Project Manager said “this is a flagship project as the Ayrshire Hospice is the first non-NHS organisation to procure a contractor through the ‘Frameworks Scotland 3’ model. This extremely robust selection process has brought us an experienced Tier 1 Principal Contractor who will carry out a sympathetic restoration of our listed buildings while delivering the highest standards of construction for the new-build elements.” Tracy Flynn, Chief Executive of the Ayrshire Hospice said, “we are delighted to partner with McLaughlin & Harvey and excited about our plans and vision for the Ayrshire Hospice as a centre of excellence for palliative and end of life care. This becoming a reality through the redevelopment is very important for our teams and our community.” “I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate how grateful the Hospice is for the community’s response towards our ongoing capital fundraising campaign. It is a privilege to have support from the people of Ayrshire & Arran as we undertake this milestone project for the Ayrshire Hospice.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Stepnell Completes Work at Care Home in Nuneaton

Stepnell Completes Work at Care Home in Nuneaton

Contractor Stepnell has completed construction of a new purpose-built £6 million residential care home for children, located in the heart of Warwickshire, Nuneaton. The care home called The Forge was designed by Miller Prestige Homes in collaboration with architects IDP Group. “The Forge therapeutic community home is a significant development for the area and through applying our extensive care sector expertise and collaborative ethos, the team were able to deliver the best value and quality over the course of the scheme,” said Adrian Barnes, Regional Director at Stepnell. “This not only extended to the quality of the construction, but also in the way we collaborated with both the community and environment through careful planning and communication with Forge Care and local suppliers.” Stepnell, which acted as the principal contractor, completed construction week in 52-weeks. The sustainability-focused development, which utilised carefully selected materials including timber cladding and zinc, included a total of four standalone residential care buildings, community facilities and external landscaping works. The external spaces feature 21 car parking spaces, as well as sensory and nature areas for residents to grow plants and encourage wildlife. Moreover, each of the buildings at the care home in Nuneaton include a welcome space, main lounge and kitchen, as well as quiet and activity spaces, with five ensuite bedrooms on the first floor. “We would like to thank the team at Stepnell, IDP and all the local suppliers involved in the project for going above and beyond to deliver this outstanding residential care facility that is conscious of the specialist needs of the end users,” commented Gavin Miller, Director at Forge Care. “The Forge facility will provide a safe and secure environment for children who are experiencing emotional and behavioural disorders or recovering from trauma, providing them with opportunities to develop greater self-awareness, social responsibility and leadership. Thanks to the outstanding project delivery from Stepnell, the facility meets the Sanctuary Model where the design facilitates learning, develops personal, social health and wellbeing in vulnerable children,” Gavin concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News

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SITE IN WARWICKSHIRE TOWN SET TO BECOME NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT LNT CARE HOME

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of a site with the benefit of a full planning consent in the market town of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, to LNT Care Developments. Full planning permission was granted in September 2019 for the demolition of existing buildings on the circa 1.3-acre site as well as the erection of a new 78-bedroom care home in one three-storey block. Situated in a highly visible roadside location, the consented care development is close to Nuneaton town centre and is well placed to benefit from desirable community amenities and public transport connections.  The site was previously owned by Linden Homes, and has now been sold to LNT Care Developments, the largest provider of carbon-zero, affordable and high-quality care homes in the UK. Plans have been submitted to Nuneaton and Bedworth County Council for a care home development comprising 66 beds with social spaces including a cinema room, health and beauty facilities, garden room, and café bar. External features include attractively landscaped gardens to enhance wellbeing whilst boosting the ecological value with use of pollinating, habitat friendly sensory planting. The building is designed to be resource and energy efficient with a key aim of generating the majority of the care home’s energy needs on-site using solar power and ground source heating. Speaking on behalf of LNT Group, Land Director, Keeley Sharp, comments, “LNT Care Developments is delighted to have acquired this scheme in Nuneaton, adding to an established and emerging pipeline of sites across the Midlands and in line with our strategy to continue to address the shortfall in quality care provision across the UK. Detailed planning has been submitted for a 66-bedroom care home, providing outstanding accommodation with fully en-suite bedrooms, spacious communal areas, and state-of-the-art amenities with a planned construction commencement September 2022.” Sara Hartill, Business Agent – Healthcare Development at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, comments, “A care home development site in this location is well suited to the needs of future residents and will integrate well into the town as a vital community asset where there was a demonstrable need for a new, purpose-built care home.” David Charles of Linden Homes added, “We are delighted that LNT acquired the site and plan to develop a care home for the elderly which is much needed in the area and we look forward to seeing the site develop.” The Nuneaton site was sold for an undisclosed price.

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Octopus Real Estate commits to new care home developments being net zero by 2030

Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Group and a leading UK specialist real estate lender and investor, has announced its commitment to building new care home developments that are net zero by 2030, marking the first such pledge across the care home industry. In addition to funding new developments to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, Octopus will make significant investments into its existing portfolio of 71 care homes across the UK to retrofit these properties. It has committed to making these care homes and 13 properties currently under construction net zero by 2040. The pledges will ensure Octopus, as a leading investor and landlord in UK care homes, is driving the industry towards higher energy efficiency standards. The two net zero commitments were met with unbridled support from the institutional investors who invest in Octopus’ care homes strategy, demonstrating the demand among pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds and family offices for assets that are contributing to the UK’s energy transition requirements. The commitments also reflect Octopus Group’s commitment to reach net zero by 2030. As part of its commitments, where needed, Octopus will work to minimise and offset the embodied carbon in the construction process of its new developments, including through UK Government-approved, high-quality certified carbon sequestration projects. Michael Toft, Care Home Senior Fund Manager, Octopus Real Estate, commented: “We are incredibly proud to be the first investor and landlord in UK care homes to commit to net zero targets. We see it as a natural extension of our role as a leading player in the care home sector and our passionate belief as a Group that people and the planet deserve better. Our commitments place us ahead of both the UK Government’s net zero targets and the Paris Agreement targets. Octopus Real Estate’s investors overwhelmingly supported these pledges, mirroring their overarching support for our care home strategy, which helps them to achieve genuine impact for society while generating financial returns.” Benjamin Davis, CEO, Octopus Real Estate, commented: “This announcement fits into wider sustainability initiatives within Octopus Real Estate, including our Greener Homes Alliance with Homes England, which is funding the development of energy efficient homes across England. It reflects our strident belief that companies will increasingly be judged on how they are building a better tomorrow and should be seen as a clear marker of intent for our objectives and strategy. We have been delighted with the stamp of approval we have received from our investors for this approach so far.” The Octopus care homes strategy offers institutional investors an impact investment opportunity – achieving social benefits for the ageing population through investing in elderly care homes and specialist care. The strong fundamentals of healthcare infrastructure investment, including sustainable, inflation-linked income, risk-adjusted returns, and supportive demographics, continue to attract significant institutional investor demand.

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Modern Retirement Village Takes Step Forward

The development of a modern retirement village in the Havering area of London has taken a major leap forward. Demolition has begun on the former Solar, Serena and Sunrise Courts site to make way for the sheltered accommodation. Local supplier Downwell Demolition is delivering the work. When complete, the site will become home to 172 new high quality apartments designed for local people who are approaching, or who have reached, retirement age. The building will feature communal facilities, which could include a residents’ lounge, treatment studio for health and wellness, and flexible village hall, which could be open to the wider community to use. There will also be flexible storage space for either bicycles or mobility scooters.  Proposed designs for the site show that a large proportion of the apartments will be designed as Wheelchair Adaptable, which includes a larger floor area than average. Hallways and bathrooms will be particularly large to enable accessibility. The plans extend to the garden area, which will have distinct zones to encourage a range of activities, such as relaxation, lawn games, and a community growing area for accessible gardening. A social area will also enable residents to socialise in a safe, welcome and attractive space. This modern project also forms part of the first phase of Havering Council’s 12 Estates joint venture project with national developer Wates Residential. The £1bn programme is set to deliver around 5,000 high quality homes over the next 12 to 15 years, doubling the amount of council rented accommodation and more than doubling the number of affordable homes. Phase one of the 12 Estates project began in July with the demolition of Napier and New Plymouth House in Rainham. In addition to the retirement village, phase one will continue with the Waterloo Estate in Romford in the coming months.  “It is great that we have been able to celebrate demolition starting on the second site of our joint venture with Havering Council. The Solar, Serena and Sunrise Court site will deliver new high quality apartments, meeting the needs and aspirations of local people around retirement age,” said Kate Ives, Development Director for Wates Residential. “We are looking forward to continuing our work with Havering Council over the coming months as work progresses across the wider programme, which will deliver thousands of new homes as well as new skills and training opportunities for residents in Havering and the wider area.”

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Optima Windows Chosen for Retirement Village

The refurbishment of two tower blocks, together with the construction of a new low rise apartment block to create 224 one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments in Nottingham benefited from Profile 22’s Optima windows. As a Category A subcontractor with Willmott Dixon the company was invited to tender for a contract to fabricate and install windows and doors as part of an £11 million project commissioned by Nottingham City Homes. The fabrication of windows and doors for the apartments were required by the contract. The first part if the installation was the replacement of windows on two tower blocks – Winchester Court and Woodthorpe Court – that have been part of the Nottingham skyline for decades. The second was the installation of new windows and doors on a low rise apartment building being constructed on the same site as the tower blocks as part of the project. Profile 22’s Optima systems fit perfectly within Nottingham City Homes’ Building a Better Nottingham programme, designed to transform people’s lives across the city by providing energy efficient homes that can dramatically reduce fuel bills for residents. The award-winning 70mm system delivers cost-effective thermal efficiency thanks to features such as a 6-chambered outerframe and 5-chambered sash and unique innovations such as additional centre seals. As well as Optima, Select Windows also used PatioMaster sliding patio doors, another product from the Epwin Group’s portfolio, on Winchester Court and Woodthorpe Court. “The tight timescale meant we were swiftly mobilised and needed to work hand-in-hand with Willmott Dixon to ensure everything ran smoothly. All the flats were fitted from mast climbers and because the apertures were full height we had to follow an extremely strict safety protocol which was designed and implemented by Willmott Dixon,” explained Gary, part of the team at Profile 22. “We have been told there have been some exceedingly positive tenant responses and our personnel received numerous compliments about their professionalism and consideration. Our thanks must also go to Willmott Dixon because our element of this contract could not have been completed so successfully without their excellent management and support,” he added. The end result has transformed the Nottingham skyline and created high quality independent living apartments.

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£35m Castle Retirement Living completes its first project of 135 new homes on time and to budget

The £35m Castle View Windsor urban retirement development has been completed on time and to budget following a two year build and fulfilling a dream by entrepreneur and developer, Robin Hughes, who wanted to create a retirement home ‘good enough for Mum’, 85 year old Betty Hughes. One of the largest and most innovative urban retirement villages in the UK, the Castle Retirement Living development comprises 64 apartments including five rooftop penthouses, along with its neighbouring 72 bed care home, which is being operated by Care UK. From his original dream ten years ago, the founder and CEO of Castle Retirement Living, Robin Hughes spent years buying and assemble different pockets of land in Windsor to create the three-acre urban retirement development site – and originally just armed with a £10k retirement cheque to create his business, won multiple planning permissions, raised the £35m and ran the build with main contractors Castleoak and funding partner Octopus. Says Robin Hughes, Founder and CEO, Castle Retirement Living, who worked in the property and care sector for over 20 years before creating his own vision as an independent retirement developer: “For me, everything about the development from start to finish has been attention to detail in every aspect which has to be ‘good enough for Mum.  It had to be right and we couldn’t be late. “Having built four previous retirement villages as development director for Richmond Villages and Shelbourne, I was confident from the outset that with Castle View Windsor, we would finish the project on time to budget and schedule.  Many sector projects of this size have been late which is inexcusable. Working collaboratively with Castleoak, our team of 130 contractors on site each day and our excellent project manager, Sam Grimbaldeston, we did it. “Everyone working on the project knew how important quality and completing on schedule was to me, as well as its personal nature.  We hosted regular contractor lunches at key stages of the project, the best of which was fish and chips on the roof for the team before the Royal wedding. Good communication is crucial and along with our project update meetings I was on site daily so any issues could be quickly ironed out.  We also regularly thanked our construction team for all their hard work and celebrated key project milestones. My Mother is delighted to be in her new home.”

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