Developers of a large nursing home in Rye Memorial Hospital's precinct have submitted a simplified building design to the planning authority in a bid to control costs and make the project "deliverable".
The ambitious original design from 2017 for a dementia care home has given way to a smaller, less elaborate concept, without "landscape-blending" features in favour of a building more in keeping with the brown brick Hub on Rye Hill.
Although the care facility's internal area will be reduced by 7%, the home will still accommodate 60 residents. Memorial Hospital's chief executive Charlotte Kneer told Rye News: "The important thing for us is that the scope and purpose of the home will remain the same."
Greensleeves Homes Trust and ZX Care Rye Ltd are identified as the planning applicants. ZX is known to be Mayfair based property developer Zephyr X, which says it's assisting with the project's funding and development. The firm has already developed several care homes and shares a business address and a number of staff and directors with care home operator EQ Care Group.
A spokesperson for Greensleeves confirmed Zephyr X will act as the nursing home's developer and that Greensleeves will operate the facility. The Memorial Hospital is not financing the project.
Given that the home will sit inside the High Weald National Landscape (AONB), grey-green weatherboard cladding and other features aimed at camouflaging the large three-storey building's appearance formed a key part of the original planning application.
However, the developers currently reveal: "The material palette is significantly narrowed. The building is now primarily brick (brown and light-brown multi stock) with areas of off-white render and composite timber boarding."
Owing to environmental considerations, it's possible that RDC may consider the building's facade is not in keeping with the local landscape character, and the council might impose conditions to ensure the building sits less conspicuously in the countryside.
According to Greensleeves, "a combination of site constraints and complex design" had prevented it from progressing with the original project, estimated to cost £8m in 2017.
Rather than the hammerhead shape initially planned, the proposal is now for more of an L-shaped building. At 3,216 sq m, the internal area will be 7% smaller and there will be 25 parking spaces instead of 30.
At least 15 of the 60 places at the nursing home will be reserved as "community beds" for local residents.
According to care home marketplace Lottie, the average price for private nursing dementia care in southeast England is currently £1,699 a week.
Details and images of the new Rye nursing home design can be viewed by searching for planning application RR/2025/1013/P on Rother District Council's website.
