Our Catherine House project was recently granted planning approval. The project is for the conversion and extension of a disused office building into eight one-bedroom units for a supported living facility. This will include a contemporary extension to create a communal lounge and staff facilities.
The project is an extremely exciting one for the Studio 256 team, as it will provide high-quality accommodation and support in a safe neighbourhood, which will enable the residents of Catherine House to live independent and fulfilling lives.
“We believe that Catherine House accommodates this function extremely well as the building is self-contained and stepped back from the main road,” Harriet Powell-Hall said, speaking about the project at the planning committee. “The building will be operated by Alternative Futures, who have been providing support for adults diagnosed with a learning disability or mental health condition for 30 years.”
The Catherine House scheme will consist of individual flats that have been designed with the needs of its residents in mind, while also taking on board comments from the local community.
This includes developing floor plans that minimise overlooking concerns, and softening of the landscape around the site perimeter. The team have been careful to consider the buildings’ original exterior features in the design, notably the ornate stone work around the front entrance and facade.
Harriet added: “We believe that this development has been carefully considered within its scale and context, and we believe that it is the perfect opportunity to take back a disused site to create an important and useful resource to the wider community.”
The project is currently on site and is set to be completed by summer 2023.