Quality communities for assisted and later living should be connected to urban areas to stimulate local economies. Also, by remaining in urban areas, homeowners can benefit from the opportunities and atmosphere that come hand-in-hand with living in towns and cities. People shouldn't need to have to pick between living in a thriving community or getting the help or living accommodation they need.
These developments bring prosperity to urban areas as jobs are created to run them, such as for operations and management, care, housekeeping and property maintenance. They also increase business for local goods, services and high street footfall, with residents spending at local shops, services and amenities.
Independent living is an enabler by giving people the opportunity to retain their independence in a safe environment. By reducing incidents like falls and giving better support for individual needs and increased wellbeing, such as outside spaces, demand for local health and care services are reduced, easing pressure and saving costs.
Later living schemes in particular can help to support the lifecycle of housing in a town or city, giving those at the top of the housing chain the opportunity to downsize so others in the chain can move upwards - without putting undue pressure on local housing stock.
It is estimated that the population living in retirement developments in particular can generate £550,000 of spending per year, £347,000 of which is spent on the local high street. Some £225,000 of this is new spending in the local authority, contributing directly to keeping local shops open.
A development can contribute £2.25m of gross added value to the high street over its lifetime.
Read about some of the projects we have delivered that do just this, including:
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Inclusive, supported living at Springfields Independent Living
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Refurbishing and building retirement and extra care facilities in Nottingham
Inclusive, supported living at Springfields Independent Living
With no age restrictions, Springfields Independent Living in Leicestershire is an inclusive scheme that is designed to help individuals retain their independence whilst also providing 24-hour support should it be required.
We created 65 one- and two-bed self-contained apartments, alongside communal areas such as a hairdressers and bistro. Inclusivity was key part of this project, ensuring spaces were accessible and usable for everyone living there.
Each home is light and spacious with a number of options available to suit an individual’s lifestyle and their specific requirements. 50 of the apartments were made available to rent, while 15 were put up for sale.
Refurbishing and building retirement and extra care facilities in Nottingham
Based in Nottingham, the works at Winwood Heights consisted of two different parts. The first was the refurbishment of two existing tower blocks, Winchester and Woodthorpe Court, that contain 180 independent living apartments. Situated between the blocks, we also created a new facility, Winwood Court, made up of 44 extra care apartments. In total, Winwood Heights village provides a total of 224 one- and two-bedroom flats.
The village also caters for two different audiences; social housing for over 55s and those of any age who require some extra support, including people with dementia, learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. To meet these needs, Winwood Heights supports residents in living independently, with flexible care available to meet changing needs.
The new build apartments are fully accessible for people with disabilities allowing older people and those with extra care needs to stay living within their communities for longer. The homes are also highly energy efficient, helping to lower fuel bills and keep homes warmer for residents. Part of the roof incorporates a PV array, which will provide renewable energy and help reduce running costs.
Creating a community feel and promoting interaction between residents was a key focus for the project. To help achieve this, there's a range of communal facilities available, including a hairdressers, laundry room, IT room, kitchen, sky lounge and roof terrace. Other amenities include a carers’ room, assisted bathroom and care provider accommodation.
Creating a net-zero retirement village at Millfield Green
We are delivering a state of the art net-zero carbon retirement living village in Caddington. Residents of the 80 apartments and the assisted living block will benefit from a huge range of amenities, including a swimming pool, sauna, gym, yoga deck, exercise studio, library, craft room, bar, café and bike and buggy stores with charging points.
With so many amenities on site, reaching net-zero carbon in operation (regulated) has been carefully planned by our team. Firstly, the project benefits from improved building fabric and insulation to reduce the reliance on M&E heating and cooling measures. Reliance on these measures is also reduced through the use of mechanical heat vent recovery units, which ensure there is a continuous flow of fresh air inside buildings whilst still maintaining the internal temperature.
Finally, renewable energy is being supplied to the village through ground source heat pumps and solar photovoltaic panels.
For more information, contact our local expert