WWA Wins Planning for Senior Living Award at The Planning Awards 2026

Award-Winning Planning for Affordable Senior Living

Bulmer House is a 100% affordable extra care development comprising 56 apartments and a community day centre within the South Downs National Park. The project sought to bring a vacant former care home site back into productive use while delivering much-needed affordable housing and support services for older people.

The scheme presented significant planning challenges, balancing viability requirements with the sensitivities of a nationally protected landscape, nearby heritage assets and local design considerations.

Following an initial planning committee refusal, WWA developed a collaborative, design-led strategy involving a design charrette, Planning Performance Agreement and dual-track resubmission and appeal process. This approach ultimately secured unanimous Planning Committee approval for the revised scheme, along with a successful appeal of the original proposal, providing certainty for delivery.

The development is now under construction and will provide high-quality homes that enable older people to live independently while remaining connected to their local community.

Recognition for Collaborative Working

The award reflects the expertise and dedication of WWA’s Planning Team, who worked closely with Housing 21, local authorities, stakeholders and our in-house architects, heritage specialists and urban designers throughout the project.

As a multidisciplinary practice, WWA combines planning, architecture, and urban design expertise to navigate complex planning challenges and deliver solutions that respond to both community needs and environmental sensitivities. This collaborative approach was central to the success of Bulmer House.

Continuing to Shape Communities Through Senior Housing

Senior living remains a key area of expertise for WWA. Through projects such as Bulmer House, Michaelmas Court and Torrington, our team continues to help clients deliver high-quality, affordable and sustainable housing for older people across the UK. This work is supported by our wider involvement in the sector, including our sponsorship of the Housing LIN Planning Pages and affiliation with The Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO).

Winning the Planning for Senior Living Award is a significant achievement for the practice, and we are proud that our work has been recognised at national level.

We would like to thank Housing 21, the wider project team and all those involved in helping bring this important development forward.

For more information about our planning and senior living expertise, please contact our Planning Team or explore our specialist housing projects.