OVERVIEW
Farrow Court is a care-ready sheltered housing scheme in south Ashford built, owned and run by Ashford Borough Council. It provides a bridge from hospital to home and step-down care, with residents living for up to six weeks at affordable rents, in fully dementia-friendly surroundings built to HAPPI principles.
The site also incorporates Cherry Tree Court, a self-contained block of 12 individual one-bedroom apartments for people with learning disabilities.
Farrow Court was built in two phases and opened fully in November 2017.
CONTEXT
Like many areas of Kent, Ashford has an ageing population. Between 1998 and 2008, the number of people in the borough aged over 75 grew by 20%, significantly higher than the South East average (11.8%) The Council estimates that 23% of Ashford residents will be aged 65 or over by 2023.
Farrow Court represents a significant investment in independent living accommodation for older people in the borough. Despite its size (11,329 sqm) and scale, it blends unobtrusively into its surroundings on the Stanhope estate, which has been transformed by a £200m Private Finance Initiative (PFI).
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Farrow Court is designed to support independent living, address the needs of an ageing population, particularly people with complex needs, and foster cohesion with the local community. Its design promotes confidence and independence for residents, and creates a welcoming environment for visitors.
The design pays particular attention to dementia-friendly features including colours, memory shelves, natural daylight and sight lines; the building is surrounded by safe, secure gardens. Many features appear in other award-winning schemes by PRP Architects, who are experts in this field.
Farrow Court is also highly energy efficient, with full-fill insulation and electric underfloor heating.
Location
South Ashford, Kent
Project type
Sheltered housing scheme
Completed
2015 (phase 1); 2017 (phase 2)
Local Authority
Ashford Borough Council
Architect
PRP Architects (Thames Ditton, Surrey)
Main builder/contractor
Pellings (Bromley, Kent)
Total contract value
£17m
