Former Care Home Reimagined into Modern Supported Housing Scheme for Young People
Woodleaze is a new supported housing scheme providing homes for young people in Yate, near Bristol. The former Woodleaze Residential Care Home, which catered to older residents with dementia, was decommissioned as part of the Council’s Better Support for Older People (BSOP) program in 2018.
Although the care and overall rating of the home were deemed outstanding by the Care and Quality Commission, the building did not meet modern-day standards. Residents moved to alternative facilities nearby, and the building remained empty for several years.
What the client wanted
South Gloucestershire Council sought a commercially viable option to make the best use of their asset. In a joint venture between South Gloucestershire Council, Solon South West, and 1625 Independent People (the organisation now delivering support for young people at Woodleaze), the project aimed to convert the property into 18 self-contained flats for 16- to 25-year-olds. The design includes shared spaces and facilities to allow a range of support services to be delivered on-site.
How we helped
As the principal contractor working alongside the principal designer’s Kendal Kingscott and the mechanical design engineers Houghton Greenlees & Associates, we were appointed through competitive tender to deliver modernisation and improvement works throughout the building. This involved reconfiguring the building’s internal layout to the agreed designs, improving the flow of internal space, and upgrading power and lighting, fire alarm controls, and door entry systems. We also made modifications to internal partitioning, undertook decorations and installed a range of new flooring. New en-suite bathrooms and wet rooms were created, complete with a variety of communal and industrial kitchens - some adaptive - along with a laundry room. Redecorations were carried out throughout, including corridors, the main reception, shared communal lounge, conservatory, and training room, including breakout areas.
The outcome is a highly functional and cost-effective in-house facility that reduces reliance on independent providers by delivering care in-house. The facility not only facilitates a more cost-effective service but also better supports the needs of vulnerable young people through a range of care services and training provided within the facility, and all within a modern, functional, facility that’s fit for purpose.
