Sandford Station Retirement village

Sandford Station Retirement Village lies on the edge of Sandford in the countryside of the Mendip Hills.

The site was identified as having the potential to provide SMT with a large retirement village capable of accommodating a unique single storey dementia home layout and design seen by a trustee on a visit to Australia. The prerequisite of the site needing to be large enough to accommodate a village with the potential to create a flat area of land within it to accommodate this unique facility.

At the time of purchase the land has recently being used to produce concrete products and on aerial views this was clearly visible. Although being used for concrete production the site enjoyed the privilege of having the disused Sandford Railway Station buildings complete with its baggage shed, Station Masters House, and Engine shed.

Planning for the scheme was first refused, however, through working with the Planning department and consultees, permission for the development was eventually secured.

The Village offers a wide variety of accommodation across the 17-acre site with The Russets providing Specialist Dementia Care in a circular household arrangement, nursing, dementia, respite and end of life care in Sherwood House. Darlisette House enjoys Assisted Living along a 100 metre long atrium, and a mixture of cottages, apartments and a converted station master house for the slightly more able and independent residents.

Facilities include Restaurants, leisure and wellbeing, indoor bowls, county standard outdoor bowls, croquet, and craft rooms alongside the usual village activities.

The project has been visited by care operators from across the world and won the Most Outstanding New Continuing Care Retirement Community Award in the 2010 UK over 50’s Housing Awards.