**Major Retirement Village Planned for Swansea: Mixed Response from Community**
Plans have been unveiled for a substantial new retirement village in Swansea, designed to create a thriving community for over-55s, as well as for staff from two nearby care facilities. If approved, the proposed development would be constructed in Winch Wen, adjacent to Hengoed Court nursing home and Hengoed Park residential care home, further expanding the area’s provision for older and vulnerable people.
The plans, submitted by the owner of the nursing and care homes, outline a collection of 124 one and two-bedroom flats. An additional assisted living building, comprising seven affordable units, is slated to support residents who require some care but do not need round-the-clock assistance in a care home environment. Notably, six of the new apartments are designated as affordable housing, providing a much-needed boost to local housing stock suitable for retirees.
In a move to avoid the institutional feel sometimes associated with retirement complexes, the proposed scheme breaks away from monolithic apartment blocks. Instead, it would see a spread of two, two-and-a-half, and three-and-a-half storey buildings grouped along landscaped streets, aiming to create the impression of a conventional residential neighbourhood. The design includes a subtle variation in materials and colour schemes among the residences, with the tallest buildings positioned on lower parts of the sloping site to reduce their visual impact from neighbouring properties on Cefn Hengoed Road.
Among the community-focused facilities planned for the site are a shop, a multi-purpose hall, a bowls area, and even a dual-purpose children’s play space. Above the shop, co-working space is expected to provide residents and locals with flexible options for work or leisure. Landscaped pedestrian walkways would connect the complex to adjacent open space and woodland, further integrating the development into its surroundings. Situated just south of the planned buildings is a large lake, enhancing the site’s appeal with natural amenities.
Parking infrastructure has also been carefully considered, with 164 spaces proposed across the site. Access for vehicles would be provided primarily via the existing entrance serving the nursing and care homes, with a second entrance further along the same road.
The proposal has already reached the pre-application review stage, where it was assessed by local planning officers, and has been circulated for public consultation. Feedback from local residents has been varied. While some householders have raised concerns about increased traffic and the effect on the area’s semi-rural character, others have expressed enthusiasm for the new retirement village, highlighting the benefits it could bring to the local community, including improved facilities and housing options for older people.
One resident commented positively, stating, “I fully support the plans for the care village. Having lived in the area all my life, I think this would be a great asset to the local community.” However, another expressed reservations, noting that “each application seems bigger than the last,” and criticised the scale of the latest proposal as being “far too big and intrusive.”
In response to the feedback received during consultation, several revisions have been made to the plans. Notably, a previously proposed nature park has been omitted, after concerns were raised about building on open countryside. Additional landscaping and increased facilities for cyclists have also been incorporated to address environmental and practical considerations.
This latest proposal follows a previous rejection by Swansea Council, which three years ago turned down a prior scheme for a retirement complex on the same site. The earlier plan would have delivered 70 apartments, a community building, and commercial space. According to planning documents, the revised scheme now submitted builds on the earlier vision but has been thoroughly reworked to address the council’s original concerns.
The planning application is currently open for public consultation, giving local residents and stakeholders the opportunity to have their say. Swansea Council will carefully weigh the feedback and the merits of the proposal in its eventual decision, balancing the need for suitable housing and community facilities against local infrastructure and character considerations.