A computer-generated image of how the care home at Reardon Court will look

Enfield Council backs new 91-unit care home to support elderly, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

A specialist care home designed to help older people live independently for longer has won planning permission.

Reardon Court ‘extra care’ home in Cosgrove Close, Winchmore Hill, will provide 91 homes for ‘affordable’ rent in blocks up to four storeys high. The self-contained flats, which will mainly be one-bedroom units, will come equipped with a kitchen, bathroom and living space.

They will be built around a courtyard featuring trees, communal tables and chairs, and a petanque ball game court. Care workers will be available on site around the clock in case any of the residents need assistance.

The home is designed to help people live healthy and active lives while allowing them to keep their links to the local community. The old two-storey Reardon Court nursing home, closed in 2016, will be knocked down to make way for the new, larger building.

There were four objections to the scheme, with one neighbour calling the building design “ugly”, but Akram Hamouda, an associate architect at Pick Everard, defended the plans. He said: “It is not something intrusive – it will fit into the context of the surrounding buildings.”

The ‘extra care’ home will cater for people with physical and mental health conditions, including dementia. Demand for this type of accommodation is set to rise, as the borough’s population of over-65s is growing more rapidly than the England average. There are currently 1,435 people over the age of 65 in specialist accommodation in the borough – projected to rise to more than 2,000 people by 2030.

As well as helping older people, the scheme is expected to save the council around £740,000 per year on care placements. Nine councillors voted in favour of the plans, with one abstaining.

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