Extra Care Housing, Nant Y Môr

Nant Y Môr is a high quality Extra Care housing scheme providing affordable accommodation and communal facilities for older people, located within the seaside town of Prestatyn in Denbighshire. The scheme was developed in partnership with Denbighshire County Council and Wales and West Housing Association, and provides 59 one and two bedroom apartments.

Located within a flood risk area, the design responded to a step in site levels and the challenge that this presented. Consequently, the five storey building provides an undercroft car park and storage facilities on the lower ground floor, enabling all the habitable accommodation to be located at a level above the identified flood risk. Above this level, the building wraps around the focal point of a large south-west facing communal courtyard, with seating areas, planting loggias and raised planting beds designed to encourage the residents to get outside and pursue active lifestyles and enjoy the outdoor spaces. As the building is staggered and set back on the upper levels, this creates a series of shared terraces and private balconies designed to give residents a choice of outdoor areas to enjoy at different times of the day, and the opportunity to gain elevated views of the surrounding picturesque hills, sea and rooftops.

On the upper floors, the apartments are arranged in three wings linked by generous corridor spaces with clear navigational aids, and allows views out over Prestatyn, the sea and surrounding countryside. The apartments are designed to be flexible to adapt to residents’ changing needs over time, and two bed apartments on the west, south and east elevations have inset private balconies providing shelter from the prevailing winds and highly useful outside sitting space.

Completed in February 2011, the BREEAM Good rated project was built by Linfords Group for a construction cost of £7.8 million.