Carlisle Extra Care Village




Client:
Eden Housing Association
(in partnership with Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council)

The Carlise Extra Care project has successfully attracted Government funding of £4.7million from the Department of Health , as announced by Health & Care Minister Ivan Lewis on 21 July 2008.  The scheme is one of 25 successful funding bids for Extra Care Housing sites nationwide which together will benefit from £80million of grant under the 2008-10 investment programme.

Outline planning approval was granted in April 2008 for this new extra-care housing project providing very sheltered accommodation for older people in Carlisle. The extra care concept combines the advantages of sheltered housing with round-the-clock care and support on site, but allowing increased independence and choice for residents, with each dwelling having its own front door. The phased scheme will provide 40 self-contained extra-care flats within a core scheme including communal areas and secure garden courts, and a further 20 dwellings clustered near the main scheme with access to shared communal facilities and on-site care. The scheme is designed to avoid the institutional character sometimes associated with residential care homes and housing for older people, and incorporates 'street' circulation routes and views of communal gardens / activity spaces from each dwelling and from the shared / social areas. Sustainability is a key consideration in the overall design approach, with the scheme intended to feature modern methods of construction and a range of sustainability-enhancing features, for example 'green' sedum roofs at some areas.