38 PROJECT REPORT: RETIREMENT LIVING & CARE HOMES
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he Office for National Statistics estimates that by 2030, more than one-fifth of United Kingdom residents will be aged over 65, nearly seven per cent over 75, and 3.2 per cent pushing 85. Considering these together means that by the end of the decade almost one-third of the nation’s population will be senior residents.
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The scheme’s 53 units are distributed across three blocks arranged in parallel, plus a connecting block to the north
Despite the fact that, in the words of the Greater London Authority (GLA), London is a comparatively “young city,” it is expected to follow the national trend and see its population age substantially. By 2029 the number of ‘older person households’ (aged 65 and over) will have increased by 37 per cent, with households aged 75 and over (also most likely to move into specialist older persons’ housing) increasing by 42 per cent. In view of this, Homes England has injected significant funds into specialist housing projects to support this demographic shift. Answering the GLA’s general call for housing for older residents, Lewisham Council’s aspiration for a 0.5 hectare site in south east London was to develop exemplar accommodation to help satisfy the burgeoning demand for extra-care residences. ‘Extra-care’ describes accommodation with 24-hour on-site care provided to residents, and currently represents a market worth more than £2bn in the UK. In addition to the desired minimum of 50 rental units nestled into the
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site, the client also required that the building add value to the wider community. Architect PRP was commissioned directly by Lewisham Council after putting in a bid for the project, the practice having had a strong presence in the retirement living sector since the 1980s, developing so-called ‘extra-care’ schemes. It now runs a 40- strong office in Thames Ditton which specialises in such typologies.
Initial footprint
Linden Court houses a total of 35 apartments for rent and 18 for shared ownership – (a 66 to 34 per cent ratio). The scheme’s 53 units are distributed across three blocks arranged in parallel, plus a connecting block to the north, forming an E-shape in plan. PRP’s Mark Walker lists several welcome by-products of the E-shaped footprint; four courtyards of varying character, a triple aspect for each of the apartments, and a sheltered entrance for the mews which provide residents with access to the communal areas of the building. Another, less tangible benefit to residents is the privacy provided by flanking walls which obstruct views into the development from nearby buildings.
“The form and massing create optimal orientation,” he tells ADF. The new block stands at four storeys, with the third floor stepping back from the facade on both the north and south elevations. This
ADF APRIL/MAY 2020
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