Best partnership – 100+ homes

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Blackberry Court, a retirement community for the over-55s in Streethay, Staffordshire, includes 78 one and two-bedroom apartments alongside 60 bungalows, all for affordable rent – but its genesis was far from straightforward.

 

A change of client at a late stage for a scheme as complex as a 138-home retirement village is probably a developer’s worst-case scenario. In this case, however, it proved to be the key to the successful delivery of Blackberry Court.

 

The new client – 125,000-home Sanctuary Housing Group – required extensive changes once it came on board. These included alterations to the public realm design and layout, a new refuse strategy and private outdoor space for the bungalows. Developer Keon Homes’ commercial and construction team listened and found solutions.

 

The two partners worked together to understand what was technically possible, what materials would work and what fresh approvals were needed, and a close bond developed between them. This strong collaboration led to a much-improved revised planning application, which was approved – and a high-quality development was delivered on time and within budget.

 

The judges said:

“This project stood out for its focus on older residents, delivering 138 units with private and communal open spaces. The partnership created an exceptional standard of retirement living, which is often underrepresented in housing delivery”