Retirement Villages Group, Botanical Place

Project Summary

In transforming the West Byfleet site, Retirement Village Group envisioned Botanical Place as a retirement village that embodies the ethos of “vibrant communities; amazing lives”. The design of this development prioritized a modern, welcoming setting that fosters a strong connection between its residents and the surrounding community. By incorporating top-notch leisure and retail facilities, the project aims to draw people from various age groups to its newly established public village square.

This ambitious project requires the demolition of existing structures to erect 196 retirement apartments alongside shared spaces, wet leisure amenities, roof terraces, a sky bar, and parking provisions.

MGAC's Role

MGAC has a versatile role in this project, from essential services to comprehensive brand advice and stakeholder engagement. Our responsibilities span project and cost management, acting as Project Manager, Contract Administrator, Cost Consultant, and Principal Designer.

We are overseeing the tender process from demolition to the construction phase, managing the design team, the handover documentation, post-completion activities, as well as onsite quality control and compliance. Our involvement also includes planning assistance, conducting design development audits and cost assessments, and generating and reviewing project documentation. Through close monitoring, regular work analysis, and monthly progress updates, we’ve kept the client informed.

Challenges

Given the unpredictable nature of inflation post lockdown in the UK, cost estimation presented challenges. To address this, MGAC undertook extensive market testing before procurement, obtaining supply chain costs for key project elements, which enabled the client to move forward confidently despite prevailing uncertainties.

Sustainability

Botanical Place is the client’s inaugural venture into Net-Zero Carbon development with goals to achieve both BREEAM and Fitwel certifications.