Proposed Development

What are we proposing?

It is proposed to construct a 72-bed care home within Use Class C2 with associated parking and landscaping. It will be designed to cater for a range of care needs including end of life, nursing and specialist dementia care.

Proposed Site Plan

The proposed care home is positioned fairly centrally to the site, carefully located so it would not infringe on trees and hedging. It is set back from the western boundary to limit any impact from Bearwood road and reduce its prominence on the street scene.

The building is proposed at 2 and 2.5 storeys in height set across three floors (with room in roof accommodation) and is designed to be of a high-quality appearance using brickwork and cladding elevational treatments.  All bedrooms will be en-suite. The ground floor contains 20 bedrooms, all of which will have external access to patios and wider landscaped gardens.

Resident amenity spaces are also proposed, including a hair and beauty room, lounges, dining areas plus a café area. The first floor provides 28 bedrooms and resident amenity spaces, including an activity room/cinema, dining rooms, seating areas and lounges, one of which will have access to a first floor terrace. The second floor will contain 24 bedrooms along the western side of the building with a medical store and nurse station. The remaining space is proposed for staff changing rooms, laundry, a kitchen and plant rooms.

The main entrance to the care home would be provided on the north elevation of the building with direct access from the car park (comprising 22 spaces, including 2 disabled spaces and an ambulance bay) that is in turn accessed from Bearwood Road.

An existing vehicular access will used off Bearwood Road which will ensure suitable viability splays. Parking areas will be laid out so as to allow for turning and access by emergency vehicles. Refuse collection would also be provided for with an area proposed for bin storage. Cycle parking spaces will be provided for use by both staff and visitors.

The care home will be designed with the many different needs of the residents in mind. All floors will provide a central nurses station with resident amenity and spaces throughout to promote interaction and provide a sense of community.

Above: Proposed Ground, First and Second Floor Plans

The design approach to the building is for it to be dementia-friendly, allowing easy navigation both inside the building and outside, providing a safe environment.

Level access is to be provided throughout, to the bedrooms as well as the day rooms and other multi use rooms. In addition, lifts will be available to all levels to allow for easy access to all residents. All of the accommodation will exceed Care Quality Commission standards.

As illustrated by the elevation plan, the design of the building has been influenced by the surrounding context and through pre-application discussions with Wokingham Borough Council

The main structure of the care home is broken up with the use of recesses, differing ridge heights and cladding to introduce a domestic appearance and to create a building of a scale that is appropriate to its context.

The existing vegetation is to be retained as much as possible and enhanced where necessary, ensuring that the building will be well screened, reducing its prominence in the street scene and from adjacent residential properties.

The landscaping of the site will likely feature native shrub planting to the boundaries with retained hedging and trees. A sensory garden is proposed to the north-east of the site which will also help to provide ecological enhancements.  A level footpath will be provided around the garden providing access for all residents along with seating areas to allow residents to enjoy the attractive outside space.

Above: Proposed Landscaping Plan

Above: Draft Elevations