The Waters Project

Mission statement

You can train people to be carers but you can’t train them to care is the cornerstone of our mission to provide sustainable, ecologically and landscape led environments for people over the age of 55 to live in and enjoy throughout their life.

In keeping with government initiatives to stop using gas in new construction and by incorporating the use of electric vehicles and EV charging points, renewably sourced electricity, high levels of carbon neutral insulation and state of the art technologies including air to water and air to air heat pumps, we will actively contribute to de‐carbonising the carbon footprint of retirement housing.

Our vision

Having studied world‐leading environments for elderly care and reviewed the House of Commons report¹ for “housing for older people” in detail, our vision was developed to provide the UK with innovative and spacious retirement living accommodation and facilities, with a strong ecological and landscape focus, that enable residents to remain independent in their property for as long as possible, enjoying activities with friends and neighbours, whilst having the re‐assurance of 24‐hour on‐site care.

Encouraging active lifestyles in a safe environment, offering local event interactions to increase community spirit and improve wellbeing.

Background

The Waters Project Ltd., was established to make a positive difference in serving the growing market for retirement homes and end‐to‐end social care of the elderly.

Our group’s social responsibility policy includes commitments to on‐site sustainable energy production, the provision of local employment opportunities and related training and apprenticeships, and planting trees and enhancing ecology in each residential and recreational site for future generations. In addition, we have supported The Red Balloon ² Learner charity for the past six years with one of our directors being a trustee and fundraiser.

Retirement living

In order to build high quality, low density communities that are landscape and ecologically led, land has to be acquired at a lower cost than that for market housing. Local development plans presently typically only include land for traditional market housing, which the volume housebuilders have either long promoted and/or purchase as soon as it is available.

Often, elderly persons accommodation initially shown within market developments are not delivered and related obligations are subsequently challenged on viability grounds and additional traditional housing products permitted in their place. This is one of the primary reasons why the UK lags behind the more mature retirement living communities of Holland, Japan, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

In the latter countries 5–6% of the target demographic reside in facilities such we propose whereas in the UK the number is less than 0.6%.

Three critical factors³ that impact elderly living are “cold and keeping warm”, “falls”, and “location of home and loneliness”. With homes designed well above energy efficiency requirements, bungalows with no trip hazards and a strong mini-community design, our vision, ethos and plans align very closely with current national aspirations for social care.

The creation of mini-communities is considered to be a particularly important part of the Company’s design ethos since it encourages social responsibility and fosters a sense of community spirit where residents are encouraged to support their neighbours, including those with differing abilities.

Promotion of facilities for retirement living would free up existing housing stock for younger generations, reduce the need for market housing growth, and reduce the cost impact on the NHS for care of the elderly.

Case study — Burnham Waters

The approved planning layout (copy at Appendix) incorporates the following:

A mixture of bungalows, care home bed spaces, and independent living apartments, and including 50 affordable housing units and a range of on-site facilities, to create a sustainable, inclusive and balanced community
Low density arrangement of bungalows set in mini communities
All bungalows built to M4(3) Wheelchair adaptable⁴ standard – see Appendix
All bungalow footprints are typically 50% larger than government minimums
All dwellings with high quality finishes and fittings
Ecology and landscape led development with significant ecological benefits
All properties being sold ‘freehold’ to shake up the retirement industry
Low cost service charges intended to support maintenance of landscape quality and on‐site service provision
Occupation of all dwellings limited to ages over 55, with local housing needs met first – controlled by Planning Legal Agreement

On site facilities include:

Shops including bakers, fish and chips, beautician, café/restaurant, groceries
Community centre with fitness facilities, restaurant, tennis courts and heated pool
Medical centre
Care home
Independent living facilities
Electric minibus service into Burnham‐on‐Crouch
Electric bicycles and charging
Surface water attenuation lakes providing year‐round activity/wildlife
Measured walks and nature trails for wellbeing and exercise
Each dwelling fitted with electric vehicle charging points

The management team are preparing a package of additional services for residents to include:

In‐property care according to need
Hi‐speed fibre internet services
TV Services
Access to electric bicycles
Promotion of travel scheme and car sharing
Non‐invasive health monitoring
CCTV in communal areas

In addition, significant financial contributions have been committed to improve local NHS services, and to support the Highway Authority in securing sustainable travel improvements in the locality.

Burnham Waters will also create an estimated, 200 construction jobs and 120 on-site permanent roles.

The Planning Legal Agreement also commits the Company to recruiting employment locally first and to providing training and apprenticeship schemes in order to improve access to employment.

Appendix

We have developed two styles of bungalows which are shown below. The contemporary is on the left and traditional on the right, which is being used to deliver the Burnham Waters community.

Burnham Waters site layout — Burnham Waters approved layout.

Vibrant and caring communities for the over 55’s.

Our vision

Case study — Burnham Waters