Orchard Lodge at Thornage Hall

Thornage Hall, situated near Holt in North Norfolk, provides supported living and day services for adults with learning disabilities. As part of a recent development on the site, Orchard Lodge has been created for residents who are either becoming older, or who require some additional support with their mobility.

Purslows managed the project throughout the construction phase and coordinated the contractor and wider design team on the client’s behalf. In addition to that, we fulfilled the role of Principal Designer under both the Building Regulations and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. This helped to ensure that regulatory and health and safety requirements were properly addressed throughout the design and construction of Orchard Lodge.

The brief we received was clear: to create a building that felt more like a home than a care facility, whilst ensuring that the accessibility and practical support required by residents were incorporated into the plans.

At its heart, Orchard Lodge is a shared living space, with facilities that include communal dining, kitchen and living areas within which residents can spend time together during the day, five en-suite bedrooms for residents, and a further en-suite bedroom available to staff.

The most crucial element of the design was accessibility. Circulation spaces were designed to be wide and easy to navigate. The layout of bedrooms and bathrooms were planned in such a way as to accommodate mobility aids. Careful consideration was also put into the relationship between private bedrooms and shared communal areas to ensure that residents can comfortably and confidently navigate around the building.

Another key consideration was energy performance and with that in mind, Orchard Lodge has been designed in line with Passivhaus principles. With a highly insulated and airtight timber frame system incorporated into the design of the building, we were able to reduce heat loss and maintain a stable internal temperature throughout the year. This resulted in the building achieving an A-rated EPC.

Heating and ventilation are primarily provided through a mechanical ventilation and recovery system. The system works by extracting heat from the air and reusing it to warm the fresh air entering the building. This will not only help to reduce energy demand, but also to maintain good air movement and comfort for residents.

By installing a 42kW solar array on the roof, Orchard Lodge is now able to operate largely off-grid. Any surplus electricity generated is either shared with other buildings on the Thornage Hall site or exported to the network. This provides a long-term benefit by both reducing running costs and supporting a more sustainable approach to residential accommodation.

The success of this approach has since been recognised at the East of England Energy Efficiency Awards, where Orchard Lodge was named Winner of the New Build or Renovation Project category. The award recognises an outstanding new build or extensively renovated property within the region that maximises the use of installed energy efficiency measures.

Our role in the project

• Architectural Design
• Project Management
• Principal Designer
• CDM Consultancy

Results

The result is a modern, accessible and highly energy-efficient residential building that will support the work of Thornage Hall for many years to come. Orchard Lodge was completed on programme and within the agreed budget, which was particularly important for a charity-funded development.

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