Highfield, Tadcaster

This 70-bedroom home will replace an existing care home situated within the grounds of Scarthingwell Park, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire.

The creation of this new, purpose-built home will enable our client, Barchester Healthcare, to provide high quality care, including dementia care, in a beautiful setting.

Located within the Green Belt and adjacent a listed Church, this site presented significant challenges and required a sensitive approach to the new replacement care home.

Historically the existing church had been attached to the former Scarthingwell Hall, however the decision was taken to put the church as a focal point of the site, sitting within well landscaped grounds within the Green Belt. The proposed building sets itself away from and is subservient to the church, limiting views from the surroundings as far as possible.

The design has been developed to be a sympathetic addition to the site yet clearly contemporary. A simple palette of materials has been chosen with natural stone being chosen for the most visible elevations. Simple uncomplicated detailing has been proposed to ensure the building has a quality befitting of is setting, yet does not compete with the church.

To ensure the proposed design met expectations and addressed the challenges of the site, Harris Irwin developed the design closely with the client and through extensive consultation with the planning officers.