Expanding a Thriving Care Community

Oakwood Court is a much-loved and successful care home from Sussex Housing and Care. Situated in Haywards Heath, a thriving market town within the historic county of Sussex. With happy residents, consistently low void rates and a strong reputation, the organisation wanted to expand the home to meet growing demand.

The brief was to design a sympathetic new wing that would provide 31 additional bedrooms, generous communal areas and beautifully landscaped gardens, all while ensuring the care home remained fully operational throughout the build.

Designing Within a Special Setting

Oakwood Court sits in a striking location, surrounded by mature trees and woodland that provide a natural buffer from the surrounding residential area. One of the site’s most remarkable features is a towering redwood tree, which was carefully protected throughout the project.

Respect for this setting was central to the design, with the new wing angled to retain open views across the gardens and the natural character of the site. Adding much more than bedrooms, it provides a bright, comfortable lounge and dining area, an activity and quiet room, a hairdressing and therapy suite, and spa-style assisted bathing facilities. Every space was designed with resident wellbeing in mind, ensuring plenty of natural light, connections to gardens and views of the surrounding trees.

Overcoming Challenges with Thoughtful Design

One of the biggest design challenges was the natural level change across the site. We needed to connect seamlessly to the existing floor levels while ensuring level access throughout, a vital requirement for residents. Our solution was to introduce a lower ground floor to the extension, linked by a 13-person dual-access lift that serves both the old and new wings.

Another challenge lay in the location of the extension. By building on part of the existing garden, it was equally important that we reimagined and enhanced the outdoor spaces, encouraging social interaction, activity and reflection. Mature trees were carefully retained, creating a unique character and allowing upper-floor rooms to feel immersed in the treetops, an uplifting experience with real benefits for health and wellbeing.

The landscaping was designed as a series of distinctive garden areas, each with its own atmosphere and purpose.

• A secure courtyard garden, accessed directly from the communal lounge, provides a safe, domestic character space where residents can dine outdoors, take part in light exercise, or enjoy bird watching and craft sessions throughout the year.
• The Sensory Stroll offers a gently sloping accessible pathway, no steeper than 1:21, lined with fragrant plants and supported with handrails to encourage movement and connection with nature.
• At the higher level of the site, the Upper Lawn creates a secure, flexible space for communal events such as picnics, garden parties and ball games, with benches placed to enjoy long views.
• Below, the Lower Lawn offers a supervised area close to the woodland edge, where a meandering path leads to a pavilion nestled under the trees, a place for residents to sit with staff or family, listening to the rustle of leaves or watching the birds.

Finally, keeping the care home operational throughout construction was essential. Careful sequencing allowed us to isolate the new extension during the build, only linking it to the existing building once it was watertight.

A Seamless Extension to Oakwood Court

Architecturally, the extension had to sit comfortably alongside the existing Oakwood Court building. Materials were chosen carefully to harmonise with the original structure, while details such as brick patterns, window proportions and corner treatments were echoed to create a sense of continuity.

The result is an extension that feels like a natural evolution of Oakwood Court, rather than an addition. This sensitivity was recognised positively during the planning process and has helped reinforce the site’s cohesive identity.

Lasting Benefits for Residents and the Community

The project has given Sussex Housing and Care a sustainable way to grow their business while enriching the lives of residents. Spacious and accessible rooms, dementia-friendly design principles and generous communal areas all contribute to a high-quality living environment.

Importantly, the extension was delivered without disruption to residents, ensuring the home could continue to provide excellent care throughout the construction phase. Today, Oakwood Court offers more capacity, a greater choice of spaces and a stronger sense of community, underpinned by the tranquil backdrop of its gardens and woodland.