Grenfell makes retirement village get fire-resistant cladding and ban smoking

A new retirement village which will include apartments as well as a care home, is installing fire-resistant cladding as well as sprinklers and smoke and heat detectors, as part of a fire protection strategy drawn up in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Care provider, Castle Retirement Living is also definitely going ahead with its plan to ban smoking across the retirement village, which is being built in Windsor in Berkshire.

Robin Hughes, managing director of Castle Retirement Living said: “With not only my parents due to be amongst our first residents, all safety is of a paramount importance to me. The recommendations from the Grenfell tragedy will take time and I want our building to lead the way in fire safety so we have taken the decision to put sprinklers in all corridors and common areas for our 64 apartments.

“By making the decision now – 13 months before we open, we assure all residents of the very best thinking in fire safety – even though we are a low rise building with every apartment having a balcony accessible by the fire brigade. I believe our investment in our fire safety strategy will make it one of the most protected retirement developments nationwide.”

The retirement village is still being built and is due to be completed in October 2018. The No Smoking policy being adopted will not be legally enforceable as care homes are currently exempt from smoke-free legislation. However Mr Hughes revealed that the 14 people who have already reserved apartments are “extremely supportive and committed to our initiative”.

The retirement village will comprise 64 homes for the over 55s including 20 one bedroom, 40 two bedroom and 4 three bedroom apartments, together with an additional 72 bed care home.

The fire protection strategy includes automatic sprinklers in all the corridors, smoke and heat detectors in every apartment, as well as fire resistant cladding which will meet all the latest compliance requirements. Castle View Windsor has also been built with a more expensive concrete frame across its structure for greater fire resistance.

The care provider is introducing the No Smoking policy across the development, in response to advice issued by the London Fire Brigade last October, that there should be no smoking at all in care homes.

Castle View Windsor will also offer secure underground parking, a café and restaurant and will be set in three acres of landscaped grounds.

All residents will be able to choose from a range of assisted living services as required and a separate dedicated care home operated by Care UK will provide 24-hour nursing and dementia care.

Castle Retirement Living is being built with £35m funding which comprises £25m debt and £10m from a consortium of pension fund investors backing the care home and was secured by Retirement and Care Village Partners under its Castle Retirement Living brand.

For further information about Castle View Windsor visit www.castleviewwindsor.co.uk