Croes Atti 2 – Care Home, Flint

Overview

Croes Atti 2 represents a significant investment in Flintshire's care infrastructure, delivering a state-of-the-art 56-bed care home that will transform later living provision in the Flint area. Located on Cornist Road on the site of a former community hospital, this £18 million development demonstrates the power of partnership working between public sector organisations to address critical community needs.

The three-storey facility provides residential care for older people, specialised dementia care, and assessment-to-discharge support services, replacing and expanding an existing 31-bed care home in the area. This strategic investment significantly increases local capacity while delivering modern, purpose-built accommodation designed specifically for the complex needs of older residents.

Funded through Flintshire County Council's capital programme and backed by over £11 million from the Welsh Government's Integration and Rebalancing Capital Fund (IRCF) and Housing with Care Fund (HCF), the project exemplifies integrated public sector investment in community healthcare infrastructure.

The building will achieve Net Zero Carbon in operation with carbon offset requirements and BREEAM Excellent certification, setting new standards for sustainable care home development in Wales.

Project Delivery & Challenges Overcome

The £18 million scheme is being delivered under a JCT 2016 Design & Build contract through the Procurement Hub Major Projects Framework, reflecting the continued partnership between Willmott Dixon and Flintshire County Council. This represents the third project delivered for Flintshire County Council, building on established relationships and demonstrating repeat business confidence.

Key project milestones and delivery strategies include:

• Extended preconstruction phase: 60 weeks of preconstruction from July 2022 to August 2023 enabled comprehensive planning and stakeholder engagement
• Steel frame construction: Hot-rolled steel primary frame with cold-rolled steel secondary frame and SFS systems, achieving efficient construction while meeting care home operational requirements
• Advanced procurement strategy: 83% of supply chain procurement completed during preconstruction, ensuring cost certainty and programme delivery confidence
• BIM Level 2 coordination: Digital design and delivery processes optimise MEP systems critical for care home operations
• Multi-stakeholder coordination: Close collaboration between Flintshire County Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Welsh Government, and Regional Partnership Board to align healthcare delivery models

The 77-week construction programme reflects the complexity of creating a facility that must meet stringent healthcare regulations while providing a homely environment for residents.

Key Features & Facilities

Care and Accommodation:

• 56 individual bedrooms providing residential care for older people
• Specialised dementia care facilities with secure, supportive environments
• Assessment-to-discharge support services enabling integrated healthcare pathways
• 3,925m² of floor space across three storeys optimised for care delivery

Healthcare Integration:

• Integrated social care and healthcare services delivered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and Flintshire County Council social services teams
• Purpose-designed spaces supporting modern models of integrated care
• Facilities enabling assessment and rehabilitation services to support community discharge
• Modern care technologies and systems supporting resident wellbeing

Design for Care:

• Residential-scale design promoting dignity and independence
• Secure outdoor spaces and landscaping supporting therapeutic activities
• Internal layouts optimised for care delivery while maintaining homely atmosphere
• Accessible design throughout supporting residents with varying mobility needs

Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Croes Atti 2 demonstrates Willmott Dixon's commitment to sustainable healthcare infrastructure, achieving Net Zero Carbon in operation through advanced building systems and carbon offset strategies.

Environmental Performance Highlights:

• Net Zero Carbon in operation: Comprehensive approach including carbon offset requirements to achieve true zero operational emissions
• BREEAM Excellent: Exceptional environmental performance covering energy, water, materials, waste, and ecology
• Energy-efficient building systems: Advanced MEP systems optimised for care home operations while minimising environmental impact
• Sustainable materials: Responsible sourcing and specification supporting circular economy principles
• Construction phase environmental controls: Waste minimisation and environmental management throughout delivery

The project's sustainability achievements support both Flintshire County Council's environmental commitments and the Welsh Government's broader decarbonisation goals for public sector buildings.

Healthcare & Social Impact

The care home addresses critical capacity challenges in Flintshire's care sector while introducing new models of integrated health and social care delivery.

Healthcare System Benefits:

• Expansion from 31 to 56 beds significantly increasing local later living capacity
• Integration of health and social care services reducing system pressures
• Assessment-to-discharge services supporting hospital discharge and community care
• Modern facilities attracting and retaining high-quality care staff
• Strategic location enabling family and community connections

Community Impact:

• Quality care provision enabling local residents to remain close to family and community networks
• Employment opportunities in the growing care sector
• Partnership model demonstrating effective public sector collaboration
• Foundation for future care home developments across Flintshire

Innovation & Partnership Working

Croes Atti 2 exemplifies innovative partnership working between multiple public sector organisations to deliver complex healthcare infrastructure.

The project brings together Flintshire County Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Welsh Government, and the Regional Partnership Board in an integrated approach to care provision. This collaborative model supports the Welsh Government's focus on new, integrated models of care across Wales.

Social Value & Community Engagement

Employment and Skills Development:

• Six new direct employment opportunities created during construction
• 197 hours of education and careers initiatives delivered in local schools and colleges
• Support for local supply chains with 83% of procurement already placed with regional suppliers
• Apprenticeship and training opportunities in construction and care sectors

Community Benefits:

• Local job creation supporting Flint's economic development
• Educational partnerships with local schools and colleges inspiring careers in construction and healthcare
• Supply chain partnerships supporting local businesses
• Long-term employment opportunities in care sector operations

Client & Stakeholder Feedback

Councillor Christine Jones, Deputy Leader of Flintshire County Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing: "The care sector in Flintshire is working within an increasingly challenging environment and therefore as a council we are taking a positive approach to develop care homes that value older people and provide good, quality support that stands us in good stead for the future."

Minister for Social Care, Dawn Bowden: "This project is a fantastic example of partnership working to deliver for people in Flintshire. It will help build the sort of community capacity we need for the new, integrated models of care we are prioritising across Wales."

Michelle Greene, Director of the East Integrated Health Community at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: "It will help us deliver our commitment to provide high-quality integrated social care and health care services alongside Flintshire County Council social services teams, and support people in the community as close to home as possible."

Mike Lane, Operations Director for Willmott Dixon: "We're proud to be delivering such an important project which expands the high-quality health and social care services for the community of Flint. As progress continues, alongside Flintshire County Council and all our partners, to date we've created six new employment opportunities for local people and delivered 197 hours of education and careers initiatives in local school and colleges."