Care sector specialist joint venture development company Mercroft Estates is bringing two elderly care home schemes to the market offering 72 much-needed market standard elderly care beds in Sherford, Devon and 71 beds in Market Drayton, Northeast Shropshire. In both locations, these are the first new build elderly care home schemes planned for many years.
The proposed care homes’ contemporary designs will offer spacious bedrooms with en suite wet rooms and a range of communal spaces for relaxing and socialising, such as lounges, private dining rooms, a café bar, cinema/activity room and a professional hair and beauty salon, set within secure landscaped gardens. Sustainability is a key consideration. The design of the buildings allows for air source heat pumps, PVs (solar panels) and EV charging points, all to provide strong environmental credentials and low running costs.
Mercroft Estates has achieved significant milestones on both schemes, obtaining outline planning permission. A reserved matters application has been submitted on the Market Drayton scheme and is due to be submitted on the Sherford scheme in the coming weeks.
Occupying a prominent location in the heart of the award-winning new community of Sherford, subject to planning construction is expected to commence on the new care home in Spring 2025, with the facility opening in Summer 2026. Close to the centre of the historic market town, the Market Drayton scheme, subject to planning is expected to follow a similar timeline.
Mercroft Estates is a joint venture between specialist care developers, Mercian Group and Barcroft Estates.
Chris Towers, Director at Mercroft Estates and Mercian Group, said: “We are making excellent progress on our two premier care home schemes in Sherford and Market Drayton, which, in turn, will bring much-needed modern care facilities and new local jobs to their respective areas. Mercian Group is pleased to partner with Barcroft Estates on these and other joint venture care projects in the pipeline and look forward to sharing more details as plans progress.”
Andy Barton, Director at Mercroft Estates and Barcroft Estates, said: “Our joint venture as Mercroft Estates combines our considerable combined experience and strengths across the whole development process, from site acquisition to project delivery, and is reflected in the pipeline of high quality bespoke care home schemes that we are now bringing forward.”
Acting as retained agent for both schemes, specialist healthcare real estate agent Portunus Associates’ director, Bernard Wynne, added: “There is an identified shortfall in high quality care beds in these two locations which these “best in class” developments will help to redress.”
About Mercroft Estates
Mercroft Estates is a joint venture development company focused on the care sector. The joint company shareholders are Mercian Group and Barcroft Estates. The company was formed to continue the strong working relationship Chris Towers and Andy Barton formed during Andy’s 14 years at Mercian. Mercroft’s ambition is to supply the care market with a ‘best-in-class’ developer.
About Mercian Group
Mercian Group is a family business operating as a developer for over 50 years, delivering a wide range of residential and commercial projects throughout the UK. The Mercian team has been heavily involved in the care sector and is fast becoming a renowned player in the industry.
About Barcroft Estates
Barcroft Estates was formed in 2022. The founder, Andy Barton and his team have extensive experience in the property sector. Barcroft’s shareholders are responsible for delivering over 75 care home projects throughout the UK.
The title image is a CGI produced by RDT Architects
