The former Horley Library site has been selected specifically or the delivery of supported independent living accommodation for people with a learning disability and/or autism, and will provide new homes for 16 residents, in the following configuration:

• A two-storey block of six 1-bedroom self-contained flats, each with its own private garden or balcony
• A pair of semi-detached houses, each with five ensuite bedrooms and shared facilities.

The buildings are proposed as courtyard blocks facing the central access road, with the communal facilities on the front elevations to provide natural surveillance. 

The two-storey apartment building is set back from Victoria Road and the town houses, which are three storeys, will be located the rear of the site. The buildings face towards each other across the central access road. Placing the communal facilities at the front offers natural surveillance and promotes a sense of security.

The design focuses on ensuring residents and their care workers will have sufficient space, and key to this have been the design considerations around the accessibility needs of the residents. The accommodation has been configured to ensure residents can remain in their own home as they age and/or their needs change. All the accommodation has been designed, in consultation with occupational therapists, to be wheelchair accessible and adaptable, meeting M4(2) standard internally and externally. Two of the six self-contained apartments have been designed to the higher M4(3) standard so they will be ready for current, potential and future wheelchair users.

Above: M4(2) Accessible/Adaptable Flat, M4(2) Communal Lounge, M4(3) Wheelchair User Flat

The apartment block has a communal lounge for staff and residents, with an external terrace, on the ground floor, to encourage social activities amongst residents.

Communal facilities in the houses will include a lounge / dining room, separate kitchen, laundry room and accessible visitor WC on the ground floor, with an activity room and staff WC on the first floor. One ensuite bedroom is located on the ground floor and two ensuite bedrooms on each of the first and second floors. All spaces within the townhouses, whether communal or private, have been designed to the higher M4(3) wheelchair user standard and will have specialised fixtures and fittings installed ready for immediate occupation by wheelchair users. However they will still be suitable for residents who do not require a wheelchair but whose care needs require additional space to accommodate them.

The homes have been deliberately sized to exceed Nationally Designated Space Standards (NDSS) to enable care and support staff to deliver services safely and effectively to a range of individuals with varying levels of need.

Residents will benefit from a mix of private and shared landscaped gardens, designed specifically to address the needs of people with learning disabilities and/or Autism. The site will have suitable boundary treatment to provide a safe and secure environment for the residents. 

Below you can see images of how the apartment building and townhouses could look when completed.

Access and parking 

The existing access to the site for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles will be on Kings Road, with the new gardens and planting providing a more homely feel for the residents. 

The number of car parking spaces is based on a bespoke provision to meet the needs of the residents, staff and visitors. A total of six parking spaces will be provided to accommodate residents and visiting staff, in addition to one bookable, accessible parking space for residents’ visitors. Two wheelchair accessible pick-up/drop-off spaces will be located in front of the town houses.

All parking bays will have electric vehicle charging points.   

There will be secure storage for 10 bicycles, for use by residents, visitors and staff, the cycle store for the apartments will be located close to the site entrance; the townhouses will each have a cycle store close to the front door. 

Bin stores for the apartments will be located next to their dedicated cycle store; the townhouses will each have a bin store close to the front door. The bin stores will each have space for general waste and recycling to be separated.