Planning permission granted for Birmingham's fifth retirement village

Planning permission has been granted to the ExtraCare Charitable Trust to build a retirement village for older people in Shaftmoor Lane, Tyseley.

This will be the trust’s fifth retirement village in Birmingham and will offer 278 affordable homes and 18 health and leisure facilities on a 5.6 acre site.

The retirement village will cater for a quarter of residents having significant care needs. They will be supported by the village’s staff team, who will provide 24 hour care for some residents.

The village will also deliver specialist dementia support and an award winning wellbeing service will be available to residents, offering preventative health advice and encouraging independence and mobility in later years.

The ExtraCare village will provide 128 one bedroom and 150 two bedroom homes as part of a four and five story development. There will be 125 homes for outright sale, whilst 97 will be shared ownership and 56 will be available for affordable rent with 100 per cent Birmingham City Council nomination rights.

The homes will surround a village centre with the emphasis on community. There will be up to 18 health and leisure facilities, accessible to care village residents and local older people, their families and volunteers.

The village will provide a restaurant, gym, craft room, IT centre, wellbeing suite, landscaped gardens, courtyards and indoor winter garden. There will also be parking for 130 cars.

ExtraCare's chief executive, Nick Abbey, said: "Our first Birmingham village is already oversubscribed, two more are under construction and another is in development. Shaftmoor Lane brings the total to five and fulfills our ambition to complete an ambitious £200m village development programme which will transform older peoples' lives across the city.

"The village is a landmark regeneration project for this site, providing an inspirational alternative to the traditional care home, community participation and a lifestyle that is affordable for all."

The village application formed part of a local masterplan, set up by Shaftmoor Properties Limited Partnership (SPLP), to redevelop the former Lucas Works Factory site and includes a new Morrison's food store which will occupy a further 19.1 acres. Outline consent has also been granted for the development of 120 family homes. During its development, the village will provide up to 200 construction jobs, as well as over 30 care and support roles when it opens.

Construction could start in 2014/2015 for the village to open in 2017.

Image: The proposed Shaftmoor Lane retirement village in Acocks Green