Carterwood are proud to have supported later living developer Guild Living in obtaining planning permission for four major new integrated retirement community developments across the South East and South West of England. The sites, located in Walton-on-Thames, Uxbridge, Bath and Epsom, have all been approved in the past few months, adding nearly 1,000 units to the retirement housing-with-care supply pipeline and thereby increasing the range of options available to older people.
Sector specialist advisors at Carterwood worked closely with Guild Living to achieve ultimate planning success across four sites, with three sites going through an appeal process. Each site’s original planning application was accompanied with a Carterwood planning need assessment; renowned for providing the background detail necessary for our clients to increase their chances of securing planning permission, this detailed report independently assesses need for private housing-with-care, elderly care home beds, or care village units as part of a planning application or appeal submission.
Three applications were subsequently allowed at appeal, with director Jessamy Venables providing Carterwood’s planning appeal expert support service to work with Guild Living’s team of advisors to defend their need case for specialist housing with care.
“Carterwood’s expertise has been invaluable to us, defending planning need cases from beginning to end with experience and specialist care sector knowledge. Their representation, support and liaison skills during the planning appeal process are excellent and we are pleased to work with Carterwood as a consultant of choice.”
Matthew Serginson, Development Director at Guild Living
Let’s take a closer look
Guild Living, in line with research into the benefits of restoring older adults into the heart of our communities, aim to deliver innovative ways to live independently in the heart of towns, cities and communities, developing on-site facilities alongside residential accommodation that will be open and welcoming to residents and the wider public, creating truly intergenerational spaces.
Each specifically designed scheme will feature;
- Self-contained apartments with flexible open plan interior layouts, available to purchase or rent
- One-bed transitional suites offering support for patients who have been in hospital or require longer-term support
- A range of facilities that will be open to the community, such as a café and restaurant, library, arts and crafts and multi-faith room, a wellness centre and health hub with a lounge area, gymnasium, hydrotherapy pool, treatment and therapy rooms
- Landscaped public areas that encourage connectivity
Spotlight: Walton-on-Thames
The scheme
Development of a significant retirement living scheme in the town centre on land previously used for retail, with 222 extra care units and shared communal facilities.
How did Carterwood support?
In October 2020, Elmbridge council refused the £100m extra-care scheme on the basis that there was no local need for older people’s housing and that the development would damage the vitality of the town centre. Amid accusations of the refusal decision being ‘ageism’, Guild Living took this decision to appeal, seeking specialist support from Carterwood to advise on the issue of need for the proposed scheme.
At initial planning, Carterwood provided:
- Planning need assessment as part of the planning application
At appeal, Carterwood director Jessamy Venables provided the following services:
- Liaised with consultant team and counsel at appeal
- Provided the care need proof of evidence
- Acted as an expert witness at the planning inquiry
The appeal was allowed in June 2021, with Guild Living achieving planning permission for their 222-unit extra care development in Walton-on-Thames.
The planning inspector highlighted how the housing need analysis in the appeal proposal, provided by Carterwood, added a ‘significant contribution’ to the case, which was given ‘considerable weight’ in the final decision.
For more information on the Walton-on-Thames scheme, please visit the Guild Living site.
Image: Walton-on-Thames scheme, Guild Living
Spotlight: Uxbridge
The scheme:
Development of a 182-unit later living scheme with shared communal facilities on the edge of the densely developed Uxbridge town centre, close to the historic Uxbridge High Street.
How did Carterwood support?
Carterwood provided a planning need assessment as part of the planning application.
The planning application was granted in June 2021, with Guild Living achieving planning permission for their 182-unit development in Uxbridge.
For more information on the Uxbridge scheme, please visit the Guild Living site.
Image: Uxbridge scheme, Guild Living
Spotlight: Bath
The scheme
Development of a 288-unit retirement living scheme with shared communal facilities on land previously used for retail on the outskirts of the City of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
How did Carterwood support?
The scheme was refused by Bath and North East Somerset Council in January 2021, due to its proposed scale, given the context and position on the edge of the historic city. Guild Living sought an appeal in March 2021. With the scale of the proposed development being under scrutiny, Guild Living sought specialist support from Carterwood to advise on the issue of need for the proposed scheme.
At appeal, Carterwood director Jessamy Venables provided the following services;
- Planning need assessment
- Liaised with consultant team and counsel
- Provided evidence at the planning inquiry in the form of a care need addendum appended to the planning proof of evidence
The appeal was allowed in September 2021, with Guild Living achieving planning permission for the 288-unit extra care development in Bath. The appeal decision referenced Carterwood’s planning need assessment, attributing substantial weight to the need for the proposed extra care development.
“The bottom line is that there is an unmet need of 515 units that is rising and that this scheme would improve the wellbeing and health outcomes of a significant proportion of the local population who would not qualify for ‘affordable’ extra care.”
The Planning Inspectorate, Appeal Decision, Appeal Ref: APP/F0114/W/21/3268794, page 17
For more information on the Bath scheme, please visit the Guild Living site.
Image: Bath scheme, Guild Living
Spotlight: Epsom
The scheme
Development of a 305-unit retirement living scheme with shared communal facilities, arranged across two buildings on the Epsom hospital site. This development will also include 24 additional flats available for key workers to rent and a children’s nursery with 80% of places available to hospital staff.
How did Carterwood support?
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council refused planning permission in April 2021, with the scheme being described as an “overdevelopment” in a suburban area. Guild Living subsequently launched an appeal, with a public inquiry being held in August 2021.
Carterwood provided:
- Planning need assessment as part of the original planning application
At appeal, Carterwood director Jessamy Venables provided the following services:
- Liaised with consultant team and counsel at appeal
- Provided evidence at the planning inquiry in the form of a care need addendum appended to the planning proof of evidence
The appeal was allowed In September 2021, with Guild Living achieving planning permission for the 305-unit scheme in Epsom.
For more information on the Epsom scheme, please visit the Guild Living site.
Image: Epsom scheme, Guild Living
Carterwood are delighted that these applications have been granted and hope that these cases will lead the way for future developments to be considered and approved in urban environments, where our elderly residents can continue to add value and diversify the community.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Guild Living to secure planning permission for these four specifically designed, retirement community developments, which will provide a range of much needed, well specified housing with care options offerings a wide variety of communal facilities for older people.
Preparing for, and undertaking, an appeal can be a stressful and costly time, but we pride ourselves on an all-encompassing approach, working with our clients every step of the way. Our market-leading research and team of sector specialists allow us to proactively drive and demonstrate the need case or lack of alternative sites.”
Jessamy Venables, director at Carterwood
Need sector specialist planning advice? Let’s talk
Carterwood are experts in the planning arena for need and alternative site assessments for elderly care homes and older people’s housing schemes and are here to support you in your planning journey, from initial need evaluation through to site assessment and support at appeal, if needed.
For more information on Carterwood’s planning support services for the elderly care home and older people’s housing market please visit:
