HOME + GARDEN
BIRCHWOOD HEIGHTS CARE HOME CONT .
How was the location for the Birchwood Heights development chosen ?
The site was offered for sale by the local authority as the existing buildings had become redundant and were beyond economic repair . The location was part of our target area into which Oakland Care wanted to expand . Birchwood Heights , alongside the purchase of two other sites in Kent , led to a small cluster of homes being developed together .
What was the property development brief / objective ?
To design and construct a 77- bedroom care home of the highest quality providing a bestin-class development for the area . Providing resident , nursing and memory care .
How did you begin the development and design process for Birchwood Heights ?
A simple feasibility study was undertaken to test the capacity of the site in terms of its size and the type of building that could be developed on the plot of land . An architect was appointed to undertake this feasibility who then worked alongside a planning consultant to understand the potential of the site within the local planning policies . Once a building capacity in terms of size and number of bedrooms was established , a financial model was then drawn up to clarify the economic constraints of the project .
What was your design / build timeframe ?
Pre-planning was four months ; planning approval nine months ; and construction 20 months , so 33 months in total .
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