Welcome to Adlington Retirement Living’s consultation on the proposals for circa 90 retirement apartments with care (Use Class C2) on land to the north of Meadow Lane, St Ives, Cambridgeshire.
This consultation provides local residents and businesses the opportunity to view the proposals and submit any feedback before the planning application is submitted.
Adlington Retirement Living designs, builds and operates retirement living communities with care. Our innovative, spacious apartments don’t just win over homeowners and their families: they also win the recognition of our industry peers.
We have built award-winning retirement communities in Otley, Portishead, Macclesfield, and Stockport, recognised at the National WhatHouse? Awards for “Best Retirement Development in the UK”, as well as “Best Development” at the 2022 and 2023 Health Investor awards. With over 1,000 current homeowners we continue to develop new communities across the country.
Our vision is to empower the older generation to live a long, happy and healthy life, by providing a valuable product and service, therefore reducing the ever growing strain on the NHS.
The retirement community will consist of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom private apartments with extensive communal facilities, high quality landscaped gardens with a summer house and car parking, and will have access to:
team
Ample car parking with disabled spaces and EV charging points, plus internal mobility scooter store
Adlington Retirement Living work with Registered Care Providers to offer care in the comfort of each home. Homeowners purchase their own apartment and live as independently as possible, and but have the reassurance of a 24-hour on-site support team 365 days a year. Tailored personal care packages are also available, as required. This model of elderly accommodation is ideally suited to individuals or couples who wish to continue living together in a situation where one, or both, have care needs.
The Adlington retirement community will offer manageable, accessible, warm homes with low running costs. Owing to the design of the building there is less risk of falls and accidents. Our active community and services also offer a social life that protects against isolation and loneliness.
The number of people aged over 65 is forecast to rise over the next decade, from the current 10.8 million people, to 13.8 million by 2035, a 27% rise. This means that approximately one in five of the UKs total population will be over 65 in 10 years’ time, which will become one in four by 2050.
It is therefore unsurprising to note that the need to provide suitable housing for our ageing population is described by the government as ‘critical’. The provision of age appropriate housing is of critical importance to the health of individuals and has profound impacts on public spending, particularly adult social care, and the NHS.
There is an equally pressing need within Huntingdonshire and locally within St Ives itself:
An increase in the population aged over 75 of 11,441 people by 2043, a 66% increase
An existing supply of 1,530 specialist older persons homes in Huntingdonshire (as of 2020)
A total need of around 2,733 additional specialist older persons homes in Huntingdonshire by 2040
Of this total, there is a need for at least 635 units of market extra care housing
There are currently zero units of leasehold housing with care within the authority
A need for an addtional 269 specialist older persons homes in St Ives and its surrounds by 2040
Current Supply of market extra care
635 Units
Identified need for market extra care by 2043
The site in the early 1990’s contained a prefabricated office which served as the regional headquarters for Arc Properties Ltd. Since the early to mid 1990’s, the site has remained vacant, despite planning permission being granted for a complex of two storey offices.
Prior to this the site has had several different uses with a variety of buildings linked to its use at the time, as far back as 1929. Currently the site is vacant.
The St Ives Conservation Area Character Assessment and the Huntingdon Landscape and Townscape SPD provides a useful starting point for appreciating local character. The documents identify pre 20th century industrial and agricultural buildings as an historic building typology. It is these building typologies that can be seen to have influenced new development in the Cambridgeshire region.
Buff brick, dark roof tiles and weatherboard cladding form the basis of the simple materials palette that give St Ives and the surrounding areas its distinctive character.
Contemporary developments in the wider Cambridgeshire region have clearly interpreted the character of the traditional agricultural and industrial building types, utilising mainly buff brick and dark cladding, with simple pitched and flat roofs.
› Views across existing water pumping station.
› Views across existing water pumping
› Potential overlooking issues to residential use adjacent to south west boundary.
› Potential overlooking issues to residential adjacent to south west boundary.
› Informal use by anglers and some evidence of informal use of the site as a pedestrian right of way.
› Informal use by anglers and some evidence informal use of the site as a pedestrian way.
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› Root protection zones of existing trees to be respected.
› Root protection zones of existing trees respected.
› Achieving 10% biodiversity net gain.
› Achieving 10% biodiversity net gain.
The site presents several constraints that impact the potential for a successful development, including but not limited to the following:
• Proximity to the Conservation Area
• Retention of existing tree belt to north east and north west boundary
• Pumping station to eastern boundary
• Highways ‘no build’ zone to south west boundary
• Construction offset requirement to top of lake bank, restricts depth of development zone
• Meadow lane traffic noise
• Consideration of views into the site from the lake
• Potential overlooking issues to residential use adjacent to south west boundary
• Informal use by anglers and other members of the public
• Root protection zones of existing trees to be respected
• Achieving 10% biodiversity net gain
The development of the site opens up numerous possibilities for a successful development, with the potential for the following opportunities, including but not limited to:
• Establish views through the site from Meadow Lane, across the lake
• Maximise views to the north east and south east over the lake
• Utilise existing, mature trees on the south west and north west boundary to screen development from the Conservation Area and pleasant enviroment for residents
• Relocate site access to align with central landscape space to create dramatic arrival experience
• Utilise existing site access locations
• Retain existing mature hedgerow to south west boundary to screen development from adjacent uses
• Locate parking zones along the south west boundary to provide a buffer between existing residential and road noise from Meadow Lane
• Creation of a walking route along the length of the lake bank, connecting new landscaped spaces
• Provide pedestrian link adjacement land for walking and exercise
how the proposal is reflective of the buildings defined how the developed and the four fenestration pattern. storey elements to present storey
• The proposal is for two separate buildings located close to the lake bank, providing circa 90 apartments
• A landscaped central space will connect the two buildings
• A visual connection to the lake is provided on arrival on site between the two buildings, across the landscaped space
• The development is well screened by the existing tree belt and mature vegetation to boundaries
• Access for residents, deliveries and emergency vehicles will be via a new central access point
• The existing footpath along Meadow Lane will be extended into the site
• Car parking has been located as a buffer to road noise and the apartments to the south side of Meadow Lane
• The communal facilities such as the restaurant and homeowner’s lounge are located to look out across the lake to maximise views
• These facilities form the ‘social hub’ of the development to ensure interaction and reduce loneliness
• A private lakeside walk will be created for use by Homeowner’s to link external landscaped spaces and ensure opportunities for exercise to promote health and well-being
These visuals demonstrate a design approach that responds to the local and wider character of the area.
Additional jobs created in Huntingdonshire during construction and in St Ives when operational.
Additional spending in the area which will support local businesses and services.
Free up family housing in the market, which is often under-occupied.
Less risk of falls, reduced GP visits, hospital admissions and care home costs.
Promotes social interaction, peace of mind, stability, comfort and security which protects against isolation and loneliness.
Through the provision of high quality landscaping and enhancements to biodiversity there will be a significant net gain for biodiversity. The building will utilise sustainable construction and design techniques.
01
1 September 2024
Deadline for feedback
02
Autumn 2024
Submission of planning application
03
Autumn 2025
Anticipated decision on planning application
Thank you for taking the time to view the information about our proposed retirement community. Please send your feedback via email to: meadow-lane@adlington.co.uk
Alternatively, please send your feedback to: Planning Team, Adlington House, Alexandria Way, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB.