SIMPLY UK
PRECISION AND PERFECTION IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Powered by Inside Sustainability
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SIMPLY UK
I PROFILE
124 Inside sustainability
Simply UK is real estate development and investment company focusing on care homes, with a strong track record of successful trading and growth. Active throughout the UK, the company is engaged in a broad range of projects. It owns two care home brands – Morar Living and Portland care group – and caters to different sections of the market with each one. Land Director Neil Dobbie explained more to Imogen Ward and Hannah Barnett. or a sustainable development to be
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£150 million. “Perhaps the most significant
the most effective and efficient it
milestone was when we decided to change
possibly can be, then it must be
from developing care homes for other
properly planned. That’s the philosophy
operators to constructing and trading
at Simply UK, anyway.
them specifically for ourselves,”
“Everything is thought about in advance, there’s a stated aim from day one to carry
Mr Dobbie reflected. With 1,500 employees now on its roster,
out the construction process in a certain
the company also has 1,200 care beds
way”: said Neil Dobbie, Land Director.
worth of properties throughout the UK,
“we don’t achieve excellence by acci-
stretching from Inverness to Exeter. It has
dent. Our methods might be different
a target of reaching 4,000 beds by 2027.
than some in the market because we have a stated objective from the very
Sustainability in the detail
first minute. We are not reactive; we try
Simply UK is actively finding ways to
to be proactive instead.”
minimise its carbon footprint and has
Simply was founded in 2013 and has
invested in credits to ensure group-wide
grown steadily since then into a multidis-
carbon neutrality. Alongside national
ciplinary group with a turnover exceeding
planning policies, the company is focusing
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SIMPLY UK
I PROFILE
Simply UK site management objectives: • All environmental safeguards are carried out diligently. • Site activities are well managed • Adverse impact on the environment is minimised. • Biodiversity of the site is conserved and enhanced. • All legislation is complied with. • Project is monitored for environmental impact.
on developments that mitigate environmental impact and reduce CO 2 emissions. It approaches these projects with trademark accuracy and precision. “A lot of thought goes into the areas that
Where possible, the majority of materials used in a development, both internally and externally, are sourced nearby and the
are chosen for developments, as well
company always prioritises local suppliers
as the materials used in the construction
and labour.
process,” Mr Dobbie said. “A good example
“Often within the planning process,
is the green roof at our Exeter project.
there’ll be some restrictions on what
We try to achieve an efficient use of land
materials can be used to favour what is
through the optimum number of beds on
indigenous,” Mr Dobbie explained. “With
each individual development, and the use
the Morar Living brand, the homes are all
of suitable brownfield land. That gives
bespoke anyway: I want to use local mate-
excellent accessibility for staff and visi-
rials and for the building to fit in to the
tors and limits travel distances, which has
surrounding landscape and not look like
always been a key element in achieving
a blot. It’s our responsibility to do that.
sustainable aspirations.”
Cost is not the primary objective.”
It is not surprising that Simply care homes are designed with environmental concerns
Saving heat, saving the planet
at the forefront, down to the smallest
All Simply properties are designed with
detail – such as the lighting.
insulation on the external walls, roofs, floors,
Where possible, windows are
doors and windows to reduce winter heat
positioned at the end of corridors
loss and energy demand. The insulation
and stairwells to provide natural light.
also helps keep the building cool in the
Low energy luminaires and occupancy
summer months.
sensors are placed throughout the com-
“Our USP is we have specialised heat
munity areas to control and minimise
recovery systems in our care homes,”
energy use. The rooms themselves are
Mr Dobbie added. “These are the result
designed to maximise absorption of
of our modern construction methods. Our
daylight into the building.
buildings include the extensive use of
126 Inside sustainability
a light-gauge steel frame structure which
Shaping the future
allows us to achieve excellent airtightness,
Hard and soft landscaping is another key
combined with the installation of heat
element that is taken into account when
recovery ventilation. This ensures energy
Simply UK designs a care home. This is
efficiency and a healthy indoor living
to provide an attractive setting as well
environment, meaning air can constantly
as a usable amenity space for residents.
flow in and out of rooms rather than
Planting schemes are designed to
physically opening windows constantly.”
include indigenous species, aiming to
A variety of measures are also required
provide year-round colour and enhance
to ensure water efficiency and recycling
local biodiversity. “The near-completed
such as dual flush mechanisms on all the
care home in Exeter, for example, is the
toilets. Simply is committed to a continual
first of our developments to incorporate
review of the specific viability of a range
a green roof, bringing with it the associated
of renewable energy technologies for
sustainability and biodiversity benefits of
each project, such as biomass, ground
such an approach,” Mr Dobbie said.
source heat pumps, air source heat pumps and PV panels.
With this much going on, it is not surprising that since the start of 2023 Simply has
“These technologies contribute to the
invested £80 million into development. The
low energy requirement of the homes and
company bought a group based around
are now an essential element of efficiency
the Sheffield area, which it has renamed
and design,” said Mr Dobbie. “All the devel-
Portland, its mid-market brand, to work
opments aim to maximise the opportunity
alongside Morar Living, its premium offering.
to utilise existing site characteristics and
These two enterprises are the company’s
minimise the creation of landfill waste.”
main focus going forward.
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128 Inside sustainability
“Portland is offering the same standard as high-quality care homes,” Mr Dobbie explained. “They are in locations which wouldn’t justify a Morar Living product but are still, we hope, very worthwhile. And so, we’re twin-tracking both brands to market, and they are separate and distinct. It’s pretty exciting for us.” The flagship homes for Morar Living will be in St Andrews, Scotland, and Wimborne, Dorset. Both are under construction and expect to be trading by Q4 of 2024. “The actual homes themselves will be net carbon zero by the time they are trading,” Mr Dobbie said. “I think St Andrews is as good a care home as anyone is doing anywhere in the UK.” Passion clearly comes hand-in-hand with precision for all at Simply, especially Mr Dobbie himself. “I’ve done this a long time,” he concluded. “I thrive on the complexity: each and every development presents different obstacles and challenges. So I don’t ever stop learning. I can also categorically say there is still a buzz from every individual deal that we successfully transact on. I think if you don’t get that, you’re probably in the wrong job.”
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