Our longstanding client Audley Villages purchased a 20-acre site for a new care community in Scarcroft. The site, some 8 miles north of Leeds in Yorkshire, was once the home of N-Power’s headquarters.
The Challenge
Following acquisition of the site, Audley asked us to design a new Integrated Retirement Community (IRC) for them. This was to be centred around Scarcroft Lodge, a 19th century Grade II listed manor. The building was in much need of repair, and its landscaped grounds represented a major development site within the greenbelt.
The Outcome
We successfully gained planning consent for a new care community of 172 two-bedroom retirement homes. This includes the conversion of the listed building, as well as new build apartments and cottages.
The scheme is since complete, and residents have shared their experiences and joy at embracing the vibrant lifestyle that an IRC like Audley Scarcroft Park can provide:
Inspiration
We wanted the new care community to reflect the traditional local architecture. The main elements being stone and render facades, and buildings that are tied into the landscape with low stone walls.
Our Design
We laid out the new care village along a domestic-scale central street. This runs from the lodge on the West across to the East of the site. Gates in low stone walls along this central street lead to front gardens and the building entrances beyond. Several side streets also lead into courtyards. Each of these courtyards has a distinctive character, owing to the way in which we combined the walls, buildings and landscaping. The East-West direction of the central street allowed us to maximise the valuable countryside views to the South.
The carefully restored and sympathetically refurbished Scarcroft Lodge accommodates some of the communal facilities of the new retirement village. The reception area, library, lounge, restaurant, bar/ bistro, and private dining room are on the ground floor. In addition, we placed residential apartments as well as guest suites on the upper floors. Due to space constraints within the listed building, we designed a complimentary extension for the Health & Wellbeing Suite. This harmonises with the historic building and is home to an indoor pool, gymnasium, treatment rooms and a hair salon.
GFA Director Gavin Birt said: “We are thrilled to have reached the milestone of completing a stunning new addition to Audley’s estate at Scarcroft Park. For us, this has been a fantastic opportunity to show that place-making is central to quality design. To create a new care community using traditional forms with a contemporary twist as well as homes for our retirement population is a privilege”.