Castlemaine Court
Castlemaine Court is a new-build scheme of one- and two-bed flats with a proportion aimed at the over 55, providing much-needed affordable multi-generational housing. The scheme, designed to meet Lifetime Home requirements and Code for Sustainable Homes 3 & 4 replaces a building of 25 studio flats that fell short of current housing standards.
As lead consultants, we took the project through the planning, tender and site stages. The project was undertaken on a partnering basis, working closely with the client, contractor, and WWA design team.
The development consists of a cluster of three blocks comprising twelve two-bedroom and four one-bedroom fully accessible energy-efficient quality apartments. The buildings were designed to give the appearance of individual houses with front gardens and off-street car parking spaces in line with the character of the surrounding area. The dual-aspect flats have either a private patio or balcony, and any issues of overlooking have been carefully addressed with the use of timber screens, angled bay windows, and translucent kitchen windows.
As well as designing to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes levels 3 & 4 and Lifetime Home requirements, we also designed the housing to meet HAPPI recommendations. Applying the HAPPI principles means reaching for standards of accessibility usually only implemented in older persons’ housing. This investment in high quality design has future-proofed this development and allowed it to cater for a wider range of residents as their needs change with age .
Councillor Melanie Whitehand, the Portfolio Holder for Housing at Woking Borough Council, said, “The attention to detail was demonstrated in the use of light and space both indoors and out, being mindful that these two elements are crucial to happy healthy living.”
The project formally opened in February 2015 and has been well received by its multi-generational housing occupants.
