Care homes and care villages

Designing around residents and the way a building operates

A care setting needs to work as a home as well as a place where support is provided. The brief should explain who will use the building, how care is delivered and which spaces need to be private, shared or accessible to visitors. Those decisions shape the layout before the external appearance is settled. We discuss the proposed use with you so the drawings reflect the scheme you are actually planning.

Early design considerations can include routes between bedrooms and communal rooms, access to outdoor space, natural light and the relationship between resident areas and staff facilities. Storage, deliveries and servicing also need space in the plan. The right arrangement depends on the building, the site and the operating brief; a care home and an independent retirement scheme should not be treated as the same type of project.

Care villages, assisted living and retirement schemes

For a care village or retirement scheme, design extends beyond individual accommodation. The relationship between buildings, shared facilities, entrances and outdoor areas needs to be considered together. A clear site layout helps explore how residents, visitors, staff and service vehicles will move through the development, and how the proposal relates to neighbouring properties.

Assisted living proposals also need a clear brief for the balance between independent accommodation and shared support. We can develop floor plans and elevations to test that balance and explain the proposal. The level of support, accommodation mix and facilities are matters to agree with the client, rather than assumptions based on the name of the scheme. Our plans and elevations service explains the drawings used to develop a design.

Planning applications for care developments

The planning approach depends on the existing use, proposed use, scale of development and local context. A new care building, a change of use and an extension to an existing care home may raise different questions. Site access, parking, neighbouring amenity, appearance and landscape can all affect the proposal. We prepare the design drawings and planning application around the particular site rather than promise an approval outcome.

At the outset, it is useful to share any previous planning decisions, existing drawings and correspondence with the council. These help establish what has already been considered. Where specialist reports or advice are needed, their scope should be identified alongside the design work. Our planning applications service sets out how drawings and submissions fit into the wider process.

Building regulations drawings

Planning drawings explain the proposal; building regulations drawings develop the technical information needed to assess how it will be constructed. Care accommodation requires attention to access, fire safety, ventilation, sanitation, insulation and structure, with the relevant requirements depending on its use and layout. Technical decisions should be considered alongside the design, not left until the floor plans have been fixed.

We prepare building regulations drawings for the agreed scheme. Structural work and specialist fire, access or building services advice may need to be coordinated with the drawings. The required package is agreed for each project. Planning consent, building regulations approval and any separate operational requirements are distinct matters; one should not be presented as a substitute for another.

Extensions to existing care homes

An extension needs to relate to the existing building as well as provide new accommodation or facilities. The survey and design should establish how new rooms connect to existing circulation, where access and escape routes run, and which services or spaces may be affected. Existing plans are helpful, but proposed alterations need an accurate understanding of the property as it stands.

For an occupied care home, discuss operational constraints at the start. Access for residents, staff and visitors, separation from construction areas and any intended phasing are important parts of the brief. The drawings can then explore the proposed arrangement without implying that a particular construction programme or uninterrupted operation is guaranteed.

Discuss your care project with Lee

Start with a free on-site consultation with no-obligation quotation. Tell us the site address, whether the proposal involves a new building or an existing care home, and what you want the accommodation to provide. Share existing plans, site information and any planning history if available. We can then discuss the design work and drawings your proposal needs.

Our work is mainly across Hampshire, roughly a 40-mile radius of Whiteley, with occasional London projects. Contact us to discuss a care home, care village, assisted living or retirement proposal, or an extension to an existing care setting.

Frequently asked questions