We are pleased to share that planning permission has been granted for the proposed extension at Kingsbridge Age Concern, a much used community building in Kingsbridge.
The Care Hub has supported older people and local groups in Kingsbridge and the wider South Hams since 2003. Over time the range of activities and demand for space has grown to the point where the building could no longer comfortably accommodate everything it was being asked to host. The project was driven by a clear need to create more flexible space while keeping the building welcoming and familiar.
The design approach
The site sits within a conservation area and is tightly constrained by its surroundings. With no scope to expand outward the only realistic option was to build upward. The approved scheme raises the existing single storey part of the building to create an additional floor, providing a new studio space and supporting rooms for both charity use and room hire.
Our role was to develop a design that responded carefully to its setting while remaining practical and cost aware. The building already plays an important role in the town and the extension has been designed to sit quietly alongside it rather than draw attention to itself. Proportions and materials were chosen to reduce visual impact and to sit comfortably within the character of Kingsbridge.
Supporting local places
Community buildings are a key part of our work and this project reflects our experience with sensitive extensions in heritage settings across Devon. Supporting a local charity through the planning process and helping unlock future opportunities for the building has been a genuinely rewarding part of the project.
We would like to thank the trustees and volunteers at Kingsbridge Age Concern for their trust and collaboration, and the local authority for their constructive approach. We look forward to seeing the project progress to its next stage.
If you are thinking about adapting or extending a community building in a sensitive setting, we would be happy to talk.
