A SIX-acre site near Haverhill in West Suffolk with planning consent to develop a specialised dementia care village for 120 residents has been put up for sale after official receivers were appointed.
Bob Maxwell and Richard Roe from Begbies Traynor were appointed as joint receivers over the Little Court site in December, and property consultant Eddisons has now been instructed to sell the land, which includes a former equestrian centre and a house.
Plans submitted by Cleveland-registered developer Care (Little Court) Ltd to build a self-contained dementia care village on the site were approved last year by West Suffolk Council. The first of its kind in the UK, the gated development was to be based on the Netherlands-pioneered ‘Hogeweyk’ model.
Bob said: “The Hogeweyk is a ground-breaking concept that has come out of the Netherlands and it is based on the model of an inclusive village community, with town square and facilities, enabling residents to live as normal a life as possible.
“This is a unique investment opportunity for a buyer to now take forward these approved plans and develop a pioneering care facility here in West Suffolk for which there would doubtless be enormous demand, just 20 miles from Cambridge and 65 miles from London.
“The large residential property and adjoining land could either be retained or sold separately, depending on future plans to extend the dementia care village.”
The proposed care village was designed to provide an inclusive community with small-group living for residents, giving them “meaningful occupation – actually doing things, getting up in the morning and going out to do things” as well as the freedom to roam in a safe environment.
The village was also to include treatment rooms, a pub, a community hall and restaurant. Residents would live in a “family-type setting” of six-bedroom shared apartments across five blocks that would also incorporate staff living accommodation.
Eddisons is inviting expressions of interest in acquiring the property and land by Friday (February 28).