Background

Rochford and Southend-on-Sea face increasing pressure from an ageing population whose needs are not fully met by the current distribution of housing, healthcare and community services. Many residents can feel isolated or disconnected from essential amenities, while conventional market housing often separates age groups into distinct neighbourhoods.

Research demonstrates that intergenerational communities offer significant social and wellbeing benefits, and this project aims to bring those principles into a high quality, design-led development at the northern edge of Southend-on-Sea.

The ambition is to create a destination that encourages community participation, supports healthy living and strengthens the links between people, place and care.

Process

The masterplan has been shaped through a place-making approach that focuses on inclusion, accessibility and long-term resilience. The design brings together living, working and wellbeing facilities in a connected layout that allows residents to access daily needs locally.

Health services, flexible working areas, outdoor amenities and communal spaces are distributed throughout the site to support independence and social interaction.

The development encourages opportunities for both formal employment and voluntary activity, enabling older residents to remain active and engaged within the wider community. Intergenerational connection is central to the strategy.

Shared landscapes, semi-public gardens and a variety of internal and external communal zones support interaction between younger and older residents.

At the heart of the plan, the village green forms the civic centre. It is designed to change with the seasons and host an overlapping programme of uses that can adapt throughout the year.

Cherry Orchard - Senior Living

Background

Process