Our Proposals
Churchill Retirement Living’s vision is to deliver a retirement living development, which takes full advantage of the village centre adjacent location and meets the local need for retirement apartments.
The proposed development would provide 45 apartments and 11 cottages for retirement living.
All developments by Churchill Retirement Living include high quality external amenity space designed for passive exercise and the visual enjoyment of the residents over 60 years of age, rather than active recreational uses. Planting is considered for longevity, colour all year, seasonal change, maintenance and local native biodiversity.
Crispin Centre Mural
We have been asked about our plans for the mural currently within the Crispin Centre. We are pleased to advise that the mural has been included in our plans so that it is protected and retained in its current position. It is intended that the planning application will include for a new timber canopy to protect and secure the mural for future prosperity.
Benefits
Much research has been undertaken on the benefits of purpose-built retirement communities in our town centres and Churchill’s proposals for Street will make a significant contribution in terms of social and environmental benefits, including:
Supporting local businesses – The site is in a fantastic location and could not be better connected to shops and essential services in the centre of Street, and would help to deliver a significant uplift in footfall and local spending at local shops and businesses.
The occupants of retirement living typically have a good level of disposable income, having downsized and released considerable equity, and tend to shop frequently. Therefore the spending power of the ‘grey pound’ has the unique ability to revitalise local high streets. Recent research, published by Homes For Later Living, has shown that on average people living in a retirement community generate £550,000 of local spending per year, £347,000 of which is spent on the local high street, directly contributing to keeping shops open, creating new jobs and enabling high streets to thrive.
Regeneration of an important site – The proposals would bring this site into positive and beneficial use and make a significant contribution locally in terms of social, economic and environmental benefits.
Meeting local housing needs – The most up to date Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) for Mendip was published in October 2016 which indicated, 22% of the population in Mendip were over the age of 65. However, the 2021 Census Data showed a 29.7% increase in people 65 years and above between 2011 and 2021. Most notably, there has been an increase of 57% of persons aged 70-74, showing an exponential increase in older persons in the Mendip area.
The SHMA also identifies an expected 67.3% rise in the over 65s between 2024 and 2039. Moreover, there is expected to be an 159.4% increase in people over the age of 85 years; this is significantly higher than the national average of 137.5%.
It is therefore widely recognised that there is a significant need for suitable older persons housing.
Reducing demands on health and social services – Retirement communities are shown to reduce the risk of health challenges for elderly people as well as improving safety and security. Research has shown that retirement communities contribute savings to the NHS and social care services of approximately £3,500 per resident, per year.
Freeing up market homes – Research has shown that by providing homes at the top of the housing ladder, which better meet the needs and aspirations of older people, specialist retirement housing developments of the kind delivered by Churchill Retirement Living free up homes for families that need extra space to move into and through the chain effect, free up more homes for first-time buyers.
By giving older people in and around Street the option to downsize, our plans for the site would help release many larger, second-hand properties back onto the market for local families to move into.
Car Parking
The typical age profile of those currently living at a Churchill Retirement community is an 80-year-old widow. Generally, 50% of residents also come from within a 5-mile radius of the location.
Given the profile of our residents, most occupants tend to not have cars. It is also generally found that the few residents who do initially have cars tend to give them up soon after moving into a lodge as they find they no longer need it given the sustainable location with most everyday services on their doorstep and neighbourly living environment.
The proposals include 11 cottages for retirement living alongside 45 apartments serviced by 21 unallocated parking spaces and 11 allocated spaces for the cottages.
As retirement living is a very different operational use than residential apartments or care home developments and given their sustainable locations, Churchill have developed an evidence base of research undertaken across several existing Churchill Retirement developments.
This research has shown that Churchill’s existing sites typically have a parking demand of 0.28 spaces per apartment. As such the parking demand for the 45 apartment units is forecast to be in the region of 12.6 parking spaces.
Churchill is proposing 21 parking spaces for the apartments at a ratio of 0.48 spaces per unit. Given this exceeds the forecast parking demand, it is likely to exceed the need for parking at any given time and is therefore considered to be appropriate, especially given the town centre location meaning that a wide range of everyday services are within a short walk from the site.
Need for retirement living
The most up to date Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) for Mendip was published in October 2016 which indicated, 22% of the population in Mendip were over the age of 65. However, the 2021 Census Data showed a 29.7% increase in people 65 years and above between 2011 and 2021. Most notably, there has been an increase of 57% of persons aged 70-74, showing an exponential increase in older persons in the Mendip area.
The SHMA also identifies an expected 67.3% rise in the over 65s between 2024 and 2039. Moreover, there is expected to be an 159.4% increase in people over the age of 85 years; this is significantly higher than the national average of 137.5%.
It is therefore widely recognised that there is a significant need for suitable older persons housing.
Additional information, including before and after slider plans are provided below. You can slide left and right to see before and after images.
You can also see our virtual exhibition on the exhibition tab.
Before and After slider
Proposed site plan
Images showing proposed building elevations
Elevation showing indicative west elevation
Elevation showing indicative west elevation extended
Elevation showing indicative east elevation
Elevation showing indicative east elevation facing Leigh road extended view
Elevation showing indicative elevation of Cottages facing West towards Leigh Road