The aim of this project is to respect, and leave untouched, not only the ancient woodlands but also as much of the existing grassland as possible, while, at the same time, add a significant social value to the community by much needed residential units for retirement living and improved public access. The proposal is compactly positioned along the main road to complete the existing ribbon develop.
A cluster of small buildings similar in scale to the existing nearby are arranged on the site to allow views and planting to extend and enhance the grassland and the wood. The buildings provide 56No retirement homes, Use Class 2 in the context of care element, and are limited in height to three stories with a rural ‘barn-like’ built form.
The new homes will be light on the ground and built in mass timber construction (cross laminate timber), which captures considerable CO2. They will be topped by a mix of photovoltaic pitched and flat green roofs. All homes will be accessible and accessed by outdoor walkways that double up as terraces and social space.
The residential buildings frame a number of open courts, from formal to very green and shady with the central space open to the grassland. The site will have an abundance of walking routes within the new landscaped courts and pedestrian connections to the adjacent woodlands and the local town.
The central amenity hub is an articulation of single storey round pavilions, the community halls. A clear development community centre is made of a series of connected circular communal buildings, in timber structure and a variety of cladding; glazing, louvres and timber siding. The central hall is the largest, the main point of entry from public side and offers dining, café, community soft seating space. The central hall is supported by the adjacent open kitchen for the professional preparation of food and at different times of day, the preparation of food by the residents for sale at the shop. It is a display kitchen to offer fun and entertainment.
The integrated retirement homes aim to provide residents with a home for life. Residents can live independently whilst enjoying the sense of community and companionship that a range of communal facilities can provide. It is expected that residents will live in any apartment with care service being available to them, so as to maintain the greatest possible degree of independence and ‘normality’ for their individual circumstances.
Energy:
The development will be 100% carbon free in operation, relying solely on electricity as the energy source with consumption optimised by the installation of ground source heat pumps to serve the whole development.
Photovoltaic on the pitched roofs will allow energy generation and storage. Solar panels combined with the ground source heat pumps will contribute significantly to meeting the communal energy demands, including electric car charging points.
Landscape Strategy:
The project will be self-sustaining with all permeable hard surfaces, draught-tolerant plants, and robust trees that can withstand extreme weather. All driveways will be permeable and all the paving materials chosen also will allow for water permeability. Green unpaved areas have been preferred where possible to retain the natural and open character of the site.
The scheme includes planting a large number of new trees and bushes, repopulating mostly with local species, to help boost the biodiversity of the area, and to act as a carbon sequestration source for the project.
