The proposed development sought to address a growing need for specialist housing and integrated care provision to support Anglesey’s ageing population. Located in Menai Bridge, the scheme aimed to deliver 45 extra care apartments, a 26-bed care home, and a community hub on a key allocated housing site – helping to reduce reliance on private sector care provision while enabling residents to remain within their local community.
Alongside specialist accommodation, the proposals included a restaurant/café, reception facilities, and flexible space for community support services, creating an integrated health and wellbeing resource for this part of the Island.
The site presented a number of planning and environmental sensitivities. Positioned on elevated land at the edge of the Anglesey National Landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the development needed to respond carefully to its landscape setting and relationship with surrounding residential areas. Balancing the operational requirements of a large-scale care-led development with visual impact, neighbour impacts, highways, ecology, arboriculture, drainage, and other technical considerations formed a key part of the challenge.
The proposed development sought to address a growing need for specialist housing and integrated care provision to support Anglesey’s ageing population. Located in Menai Bridge, the scheme aimed to deliver 45 extra care apartments, a 26-bed care home, and a community hub on a key allocated housing site – helping to reduce reliance on private sector care provision while enabling residents to remain within their local community.
Alongside specialist accommodation, the proposals included a restaurant/café, reception facilities, and flexible space for community support services, creating an integrated health and wellbeing resource for this part of the Island.
The site presented a number of planning and environmental sensitivities. Positioned on elevated land at the edge of the Anglesey National Landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the development needed to respond carefully to its landscape setting and relationship with surrounding residential areas.
Balancing the operational requirements of a large-scale care-led development with visual impact, neighbour impacts, highways, ecology, arboriculture, drainage, and other technical considerations formed a key part of the challenge.
Axis led the planning strategy and application process for the scheme, providing planning advice throughout the project lifecycle on behalf of Isle of Anglesey County Council.
This included managing the pre-application consultation process, preparing the Planning Statement, and coordinating the submission of the planning application. Axis’ planning team worked closely with a wider consultant team to address a range of technical matters relating to ecology, arboriculture, highways, drainage, and landscape considerations associated with the constrained and sensitive site.
Following submission, Axis continued to lead engagement with the Local Planning Authority and consultees, responding to technical queries and helping navigate the complexities associated with delivering a major care-led development in a prominent residential location.
Throughout the process, careful consideration was also given to integrating open space and green infrastructure into the development, alongside delivering high standards of accessibility, energy efficiency, and community-focused design.
Planning consent was secured for a high-quality extra care housing and care home development that responds sensitively to both its urban and landscape setting.
The approved scheme will provide much-needed specialist accommodation and integrated care facilities for the Island’s ageing population, helping meet a recognised need for both extra care and care home provision in this part of Anglesey. Alongside the residential accommodation, the development will deliver community-focused facilities designed to support long-term wellbeing, independent living, and social connection.
Through careful planning and collaboration, the development successfully integrates housing, care provision, open space, and landscaping within a prominent and constrained site in Menai Bridge.
Arwyn Hughes, Corporate Programme Manager, Isle of Anglesey County Council, commented, “The Aethwy Extra Care and Residential Care Home scheme at Tyddyn Mostyn, Menai Bridge, will represent a major new investment in the future care of our older people. The project will directly support the Council’s Strategic Objectives as outlined in the Council Plan 2023-2028. The collaborative approach taken by Axis throughout the planning process helped ensure the scheme could successfully balance operational requirements with the sensitivities of the site and surrounding area, while helping meet an identified need for this type of accommodation and care provision locally.”
Jamie Bradshaw, Senior Planning Consultant at Axis, adds, “This was a complex and sensitive site that required careful coordination between planning, technical specialists, and the wider project team. Securing consent for a development of this nature is an important step towards delivering high-quality care accommodation and community facilities that support both existing and future needs on Anglesey.”