Pioneering £19m care village unveiled in Norwich

Residents and tenants are settling into their new home at the recently constructed Bowthorpe Care Village in Norwich, the first of its kind in East Anglia to provide specialist dementia care and housing with care.

The £19m care village is the culmination of an enormous project, which is a true partnership between Saffron Housing, Norse Care (Services) Ltd, the Homes and Communities Agency, Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council.

Karen Knight, managing director of NorseCare, said: “This is a stunning building and we’re delighted that residents and tenants are able to move into their new homes, where they will receive the highest standard of care. The project has gone incredibly smoothly for something of its size and complexity, but what the partners have been able to deliver is a huge testament to their hard work and collaboration.”

Care village

The care village has been constructed on a 2.3-hectare site and features an 80-bed specialist dementia unit and a housing with care scheme offering 92 self-contained apartments.

Housing with care provides care and support, together with the independence of a tenancy agreement. Tenants living within housing with care have their own front door, living room and kitchen, as well as a bedroom and en-suite shower room.

At the heart of the village is a central ‘hub’ which features a restaurant, café, hairdressers, bar and community shop, whilst the outdoor area offers extensive, landscaped gardens and fantastic views over the River Yare valley.

In 2010, there were an estimated 13,236 people in Norfolk living with dementia and health experts have predicted the figure to rise to 24,204 by 2030.

The specialist dementia unit at Bowthorpe Care Village has memory boxes located next to people’s doors which contain personal items to help individuals remember which flats are theirs.

Round-the-clock-care

Furthermore, professional and trained Norse Care staff provide round-the-clock care, if required, whilst a practice nurse and a doctor hold regular surgeries at the complex.

Catherine Guelbert, chair of Saffron Housing Trust said: “Saffron has invested £8.5m in the Bowthorpe Care Village which will create a community in Norwich for people who need care and support in a fantastic purpose designed building. The development of the village reflects the strong partnerships that exist across Norfolk, our ability to work towards common goals and share responsibility for our communities.

“We wish everyone well in their new homes and hope that they enjoy the environment created by the gardens and the range of facilities within the hub.”

The names of the housing with care scheme – The Meadows – and the specialist dementia care home – Mayflower Court – were chosen in recognition of the way the care village fits into the surrounding natural environment.

The village has also made use of the most up-to-date energy efficient building methods, making good use of photovoltaic panels and being environmentally sensitive by protecting the Bunker’s Hill area next to the site, implementing an ecology mitigation plan to minimise the loss of any species of flora and fauna.

Sue Whitaker, chair of Norfolk County Council’s adult social care committee, added: “The buildings and outside spaces at the new Bowthorpe Care Village have so many of the features that anyone would look for in a new home, including beautiful views, light and airy rooms and fantastic modern amenities.

Specialist equipment

“In addition there will be high-quality care and support from staff and specialist equipment and building design, all aimed at enhancing people’s quality of life. I’m sure the people moving in will be able to lead very happy and comfortable lives there.”

The Bowthorpe Care Village is part of the wider Three Score development site, with Norwich City Council planning to use the rest of the 32-hectare site to create 1,000 homes, community facilities and open space.

Andy Watt, Norwich City Council’s head of city development services, said: “It’s wonderful to see this exceptional facility welcoming its first residents. The success of the partnership means that we’re helping to address the care needs of older people while also kick-starting regeneration of the wider site to bring much-needed homes and jobs to Norwich.”

For more information visit: http://www.norsecare.co.uk/homesandschemes

click here for more details or to contact Norse Care (Services) Ltd