The Windmill Court redevelopment transforms an outdated, single-storey retirement complex into a new neighbourhood of high-quality, sustainable homes. The project revitalises the local area by replacing low-density sheltered housing with a modern mix of 24  general-needs residential units.

Comprehensive Consultancy and Procurement

Welling Partnership played a pivotal role in the project’s success, serving as Employer’s Agent, CDM Principal Designer and Clerk of Works. Appointed from project inception, Welling navigated the scheme through a contractor framework via a single-stage tender process. During the critical pre-construction phase, Welling managed all traditional Employer’s Agent responsibilities, including coordinating the design team, overseeing site investigations and managing the risk register. By combining these three core disciplines under a single consultancy, Welling ensured seamless communication, stringent health and safety compliance under CDM regulations and rigorous on-site quality control during construction.

Ecological Mitigation and Programme Management

A critical challenge arose during the pre-construction phase when ecological constraints threatened to delay the demolition schedule. To maintain the project programme without compromising local biodiversity, the development team successfully secured a Natural England European Protected Species (EPS) Licensing Policy 4 mitigation licence.

Welling supported the process by demonstrating that the costs and time penalties of standard, season-dependent wildlife surveys would be disproportionate to the additional certainty they provided; the appointed Ecologist used alternative evidence and DNA analysis to predict ecological impacts with high confidence.

Implementing Policy 4 enabled an accelerated mitigation strategy, resolving sensitive habitat issues and preventing a costly project delay.