Delivering Orchard Lodge: Accessible, Sustainable Sheltered Housing at Thornage Hall

Orchard Lodge is a new residential building at Thornage Hall, near Holt. This new facility has been developed to support adults with learning disabilities and provides accommodation for residents as they become older and may require additional support with mobility or day-to-day living.

Purslows were appointed to provide architectural design, project management and Principal Designer / CDM consultancy services for the scheme.

The aim of the project was to create a space that felt more like a home than a care facility and the layout and scale of the accommodation were therefore designed to feel domestic, whilst still providing the level of accessibility that residents require.

The completed building includes five en-suite bedrooms for residents, along with an additional en-suite bedroom for staff. At the heart of the building is an area of shared living, including dining and kitchen facilities where residents and carers can spend time together throughout the day.

Design Brief and Accessibility

The charity’s brief focused on creating accommodation that would remain suitable for residents whose physical needs may change over time.

For that reason, accessibility was a core element in the shaping of the building’s design. Circulation spaces are wide and easy to navigate. The bedrooms and en-suites have been arranged in such a way that mobility aids can be accommodated as required. The relationship between the bedrooms and the communal areas was also carefully considered to ensure that residents can move comfortably around the building.

At the same time, it was important that the building didn’t feel clinical. The intention was to provide somewhere that residents would recognise as a normal home environment while still allowing staff to support them where necessary.

Energy Efficiency and Passivhaus Principles

Energy performance was an important consideration throughout the design of Orchard Lodge.

The building was designed in line with Passivhaus principles and achieves an ‘A’ EPC rating. To achieve this level of performance the structure uses a highly insulated and airtight timber frame system. This minimises heat loss while allowing the building to maintain a stable internal temperature during both the summer and winter.

The heating and ventilation are primarily provided through a Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) system. Warm air is extracted from inside the building and the heat from that air is then used to warm the fresh air coming in from outside. To put it simply, the building reuses heat that would traditionally have been lost.

As well as helping to reduce energy use, the MVHR system also keeps air moving through the building. During warmer weather this helps prevent internal spaces from becoming too hot, which is particularly important in residential accommodation of this type.

Renewable Energy and Off-Grid Operation

A 42kW solar array has been installed on the roof of the building. This means Orchard Lodge is able to operate largely off-grid. The electricity generated by the panels is more than the building technically requires, and any excess energy is used by other buildings on the Thornage Hall site or exported back to the network.

For the charity this provides a long-term benefit by reducing running costs while also lowering the environmental impact of the building.

Project Delivery

Purslows acted as architectural designer and project manager throughout the construction phase, coordinating the contractor and wider design team on behalf of the client.

In addition to that, we also undertook the role of Principal Designer under the Building Regulations and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, ensuring that regulatory and health and safety considerations were addressed during both the design and construction stages.

The project progressed well on site and the building was completed on programme and within the agreed budget, which was an important factor for a charity-funded development.

Completion

Orchard Lodge reached completion in late 2025 and was formally opened by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Lady Dannatt MBE.

The building now provides modern, accessible accommodation for residents at Thornage Hall and will support the charity’s work for many years to come.