Partnership with retirement living provider
Wicksteed Charitable Trust have announced a partnership with Northamptonshire-based retirement living provider New Chapter Villages
The joint venture will utilise the least-used area of the park, turning it into a development of high-quality single-storey retirement homes while allowing the charity to retain ownership of the land used for the scheme.
The development will provide a sustainable long-term income for Wicksteed Park from a suitably scaled retirement village accessed through the park itself.
The project, partnering with provider New Chapter Villages, based in Corby, and Rushden-based Prestige Homeseeker, the UK’s leading park home manufacturer, will provide much needed single storey retirement accommodation, of which there is a shortfall in Northamptonshire.
It is hoped that the innovative scheme will provide a much needed, sustainable annual income for the park.
The Wicksteed Park Village project will also fulfil one of founder Charles Wicksteed’s dreams, providing a garden village within the park for people to live in, as well as creating a number of new full-time jobs.
The project has already received positive feedback from Historic England, the public body that looks after the country’s historic environment, with the homes designed to mirror the bungalows Charles had envisaged for the land.
Wicksteed Charitable Trust and New Chapter Villages are working closely with Kettering Borough Council ahead of the planning application submission intended for later this year.
A new development of suitably scaled high-quality, single-storey retirement homes for the over-55s. The homes will be in a permanent, secure, gated community within the park. Residents will have access to the grounds of Wicksteed, opportunities to join gardening clubs and other community activities as well as access to varying degrees of domiciliary care to meet individual needs. Single-storey homes will aesthetically fit and have the lowest visual impact on the historic park and garden setting and the neighbouring private properties. These factory-built homes are an affordable alternative to bricks and mortar accommodation facilitating independent living for longer.
The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the park have highlighted the need for a more sustainable income to ensure that it remains open and free to access in the future.
In the past, the Wicksteed Charitable Trust has resorted with much reluctance to selling off land to help meet the costs associated with running and maintaining the Park. This new development will enable the Park to generate a sustainable annual income whilst retaining ownership of the land. This will ensure no further land will have to be sold off.
The former nine-hole golf course and camping area within the southern portion of Wicksteed Park has been identified as being underutilised for a number of years. As outlined above, the development of this area will safeguard the free public access to the most used areas of the park.
The project will fulfil one of parks founder’s, Charles Wicksteed’s, dreams, providing a garden village within the park for people to live in.
A robust suite of documents and surveys will be provided with the planning application to demonstrate the sustainability of the proposed development.
No. The success of this project will mean the Wicksteed Charitable Trust will not have to sell off this or any other land for housing.
The access to the development will be through Wicksteed Park and the existing park entrance on Barton Road.
As well as helping to secure the long-term future of the park for everyone to enjoy, the development will provide much needed single storey retirement accommodation, of which there is a shortfall in Northamptonshire. The project will also create a number of new full & part time jobs.
The planned retirement homes can be sited, serviced and occupied much more quickly than traditional bricks and mortar housing. They require limited groundworks, and the noise and general disturbance during the implementation/construction phase is much less because a large proportion of the construction work is undertaken off-site.
The joint venture will involve the Wicksteed Charitable Trust partnering with Northamptonshire-based provider New Chapter Villages.
The precise date will be dependent upon the timely determination of the planning application. Further information will be released once the timeline for the proposed development has been established.
The final size and scale of the proposed development will be determined through the planning application process following consultation with all statutory consultees.
The amount of annual income generated for the Wicksteed Charitable Trust will not be known until the number of homes involved in the project is confirmed through planning.
The homes are constructed in factory conditions to British Standard 3632. The modular build process utilises an engineered timber frame and a steel frame floor structure. Unlike conventional on-site build, factory construction under one roof improves environmental performance, efficiency, sustainability, maintains quality, and results in shorter build times.
The homes will range in size with most homes being 2-bedroom. The internal layout will depend on the home and customer specification. Internal configuration can be customised to individual preferences and needs.
Utilising the latest technology and construction methods for Park Home manufacturing, our homes will be level threshold and entirely adaptable to the changing needs of the resident.
Prices are not yet available. These homes will be more affordable than an equivalent size bricks and mortar home. This allows buyers to release equity from their existing home after its sale onto the housing market.
The retirement village will be secure and gated and will also be covered by CCTV and an extension of the park’s existing security measures.
With a lifespan of 60-plus years, the homes require much less maintenance than a traditional dwelling. They come with a 10-year insurance backed Platinum seal warranty, providing complete protection against structural defects. Feature roof finishes have a 40-year warranty. The method of construction, utilising a substantial engineered timber frame, ensures a long life.
Your feedback will help inform the decision-making process before and during the planning application. The purpose of the consultation is to identify and, where appropriate, respond to any concerns raised by local people.
A Full Residential Licence meaning the home will be your permanent address.
Yes, residents must be 55 years and over.
Residential Park Homes pay Band A Council Tax, please refer to the local authority website for confirmation of the latest value.
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