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BTP delivers new apartments for over 55s in Rawtenstall

Heron House recently opened its doors to lucky residents in Rawtenstall.  Designed by BTP, the house provides 16 state of the art affordable rented apartments for the over 55s. 

As award-winning specialists in designs for older people, BTP was commissioned to lead the design of the project for the RTB Partnership, which is a regeneration development company set up by Rossendale Borough Council with Together Housing Group and Barnfield Construction.   BTP’s role took the project through all RIBA work stages from inception to hand over. 

The scheme occupies a contaminated brown field site adjacent to the Limy Water course and is considered a high flood risk area by the environment agency. To prevent flooding of the apartments we developed an innovative solution by raising  the ground floor level 1m from exterior ground level with a void space below the structure to allow any flood water to pass beneath the apartments. This avoided the need for flood defense barriers yet still provided level access for the elderly residents by sympathetic designing of the landscaping.

With  the apartments being in close proximity to the Roman Catholic Church of St James the Less this  meant that material choices and design had to be sympathetic to the grade II listed building.

BTP’s design has transformed a former brownfield site into a desirable residence for older people. 

Colin Savage, Director at BTP said “The new development at Burnley Road looks fantastic and is the result of a close working relationship with the client, contractor, local authority and consultation with the people of Rawtenstall. It now provides high quality rented accommodation and an economic boost to the town.” 

Renea Cammish, project manager at Together Housing, said: ‘BTP have interpreted our vision perfectly and delivered a design that both meets our needs and those we support. In short we love the scheme, which is modern yet remains in keeping with the traditional street scene and brings much needed rental accommodation to Rawtenstall.’

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