Practical Approach and Model to Delivering Extra Care Housing

St Bede's – Our Vision and Journey

Lorraine Mansfield - Extra Care Development Manager

What I will cover

Orbits vision for Extra care housing Introduction to the scheme Approach and Model Design and Features St Bede’s journey Lessons Learnt Any Questions

Our Vision for Extra Care Housing &St Bede’s Extra care

Orbits vision is to deliver inspirational, exciting housing for the ageing population. Through individual architectural designs and interiors offering a 5 star hotel feel to customers living on our schemes. Offering a lifestyle choice with a mixed range of communal areas.

St Bede’s is a specialist scheme where customers are able to live independently in their own self-contained luxury apartment., whilst enjoying the use of extensive communal facilities.

St Bede’s started life as a catholic school. When it closed in 2006, Orbit bought the land to develop as Extra Care housing

St Bede’s is a mixed tenure scheme of 53 shared ownership and 51 for affordable rent

First Extra Care scheme in Bedford offering a mixed tenure.

Approach and Model

We have a target to deliver 1,500 extra care apartments for 2020 which fits in with our target of 12,000 homes for Orbit for 2020.

Extra Care has grown since we developed our first scheme in Stratford on Avon in 2010.

Our model for Extra Care is a 1/3 low care 1/3 medium care 1/3 high care

Orbit do not deliver the care but work in partnerships with a domiciliary care provider who is on site 24/7

Design and Features At St Bede’s

The buildings have three different street frontages, each with a different architectural style, which work together to create a cohesive overall scheme. The building appears to be a series of domestic scaled blocks, but it is in fact all under one roof, which allows customer to access communal areas without having to outside.

Design and planning of the entrance court was important, as it was felt that environmental factors should be considered, as well as parking allocation, landscaping, accessibility and security.

A Feature Staircase has been introduced into the villas that we have retained, the staircase is a floating design away from the wall and can be seen through the glazed window from the street.

Circulation areas have been designed to encourage interaction amongst customers through the use of seating and atria.

Designs and Features At St Bede’s cont’d

A large atrium is located closed to the cinema lounge, which creates a vibrant and naturally lit communal space at the heart of the building.

The landscape design evolved simultaneously with the building plan, which began to shape a series of external areas. The intention was to give each space a distinct character and function to provide greater variety for the customers. This approach led to the creation of four separate communal garden areas.

An intimate cloister garden – off the front of the existing and new villas. The primary communal garden which has a water feature in A sensory Garden – provided in a central position and can be assessed

from the communal lounge and activities room. A horticultural garden – This has given customer the opportunity to pursue

gardening and a range of horticultural projects.

Interior Design and Building design At St Bede’s

Working with Interior designers from PRP we wanted the scheme to have a 5 star hotel feel when the customers and visitors walked through the door. This was achieved by working with exciting interior concepts. We developed a great schedule of colours and range of furniture

A large reception was created with customers and volunteers providing the reception cover.

A large reception area is through the communal doors. Situated behind the reception is the Lounge, Restaurant and Games Room. Large sliding doors will give you access onto the communal garden with a

covered pagoda and seating. A water feature runs the length of the garden and this features the Minton

tiles pattern found in the entrance to the old school.

Refurbishment of the Old Villas

The oldest buildings on site were part of a convent built around 1900; later converted into the catholic school of St Bede’s. Over the years these buildings were extended until the decision was made to close the school. The buildings were left unoccupied with only the small two-storey Victorian villa – known as Elmstone Lodge being utilised by a charity called Sight Concern.

Extra Care Features at St Bede’s

We have the latest warden call digital technology enabling us to offer Assistive Technology devices to customer living at St Bede’s

We have introduced a Pet Policy across all our Extra care schemes and we allow the customer to replace a pet if they want to.

Activity Co-ordinator paid for by the well being charge working with customers to put on activities they want.

Salto Locking system to all apartments doors and communal area doors, CCTV – Secure by design requirement Two offices one for the housing staff and one for the care team. Communal areas for use by the customers and wider community Restaurant, Well Being Suite, Hairdressers, Small shop, Gym, cinema

Lounge, Games Room, Activity Room, Atrium seating area on the first floor, Assisted Spa Bathroom, and Guest Suite.

Lessons Learnt

Appoint Interior Designers earlier on in the project

Work with contractor to ensure that completion date does not slip.

Set up sales area and show apartments 9 months before completion

Look carefully at the land and what is on it, refurbishments are nice when completed, but at what cost.

Get designs agreed at an early stage.

Pictures of St Bede’s

St Bede’s Extra Care Scheme

Thank you for listening.

Any Questions?