The Thomas Fields Specialist Residential & Extra Care Centre provides apartments and communal spaces for the elderly living with dementia, forming part of an inclusive development for the residents and the wider community. Comprising 53 apartments and 16 specialist care en-suite bedrooms, the scheme includes for sale, part ownership or rental apartments and units providing long-term care for older adults with complex needs.
Alongside associated lounge and dining spaces, the centre also contains a restaurant, hair salon, well-being room, hobbies and crafts room, and private sensory gardens. The building is designed around a central courtyard and landscaped gardens, which open onto the North-West of the site, maximising the potential for all residents to enjoy the views of the Peak District National Park. The private gardens ensure residents suffering from age-related illnesses have access to quality outdoor spaces to create a pleasant and sympathetic environment.
A sensitive location to develop, the scheme has been influenced by both the physical constraints of the site and the local social and economic will for an Extra Care development. The design team liaised continuously and consistently with the local planning officer to ensure the amount of development was appropriate for the site and the resident’s requirements. The viability of the project and the initial concerns from the local residents were taken into consideration to ensure the impact of the development on this site would benefit the whole community.
