Location: East Grinstead

Client: Retirement Villages

Awards: Housebuilder Award for Best Retirement Scheme in the UK, 2014

Development website: Retirement Living Charters Village

Allen Pyke were first commissioned to prepare a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) and landscape strategy for a proposed retirement village and care home located within Green Belt. Our expertise in sensitive and appropriate development of land protected by planning policy enabled us to inform the design proposals from an early stage and achieve a positive outcome.

The retirement village proposals focused around an existing Victorian Manor house set against a backdrop of grassland and a framework of existing specimen trees and mature boundary vegetation. The landscape strategy sought to sensitively integrate the scheme within the existing parkland setting and to create a series of intimate private and public spaces, styled to reflect the Arts and Crafts character of the manor house. This sympathetic approach resulted in minimal impact to the landscape character of the area and made an attractive place for residents of the retirement village and care home to enjoy. The large number of existing mature trees and the restored wildlife pond enhanced the setting of the village and provided additional value for wildlife.

Following planning success, Allen Pyke prepared detailed landscape proposals for the retirement village and care home. This included the evolution of courtyard spaces and hard landscape and planting plans for the entire site. Key areas were given extra attention such as the sensory garden and a garden area designed with those living with dementia specifically in mind.