The Meath Epilepsy Trust

Healthcare, Godalming, Surrey

The Meath is a residential centre specialising in the care and treatment of people with epilepsy. The building is Grade II Listed in the Green Belt close to Godalming Town Centre. The brief was to extend and refurbish Westbrook whilst maintaining a friendly, homely environment.

The main challenges on this fantastic project were:

• To design a new 10 bedroom extension to current CQC standards whilst in keeping with the traditional detailing and character of the listed building.
• To resolve the inadequate small entrance arrangement that was non wheelchair compliant. This was achieved by means of a new generous main entrance with a ramped access.
• To upgrade, improve and rearrange the existing ground floor accommodation to meet the National Minimum Standards required for care homes and care services and DAA demands for accessibility.
• To restore some of the main rooms to their former glory by removing redundant partitions and inappropriate additions made over the years. This was done in close liaison with the Local Authority Historic Buildings Officer.
• To improve the tired external appearance of the building and external landscaping.
• To procure the project and put a strategic phasing of the works in place to maintain the building in occupation at all times, and create minimum disruption to the residents.

Such a noteworthy building has required careful detailing of the new extensions and landscaping to be designed to fit within its sensitive green belt site characterised by its beautiful surroundings. We believe we met the challenges set to us and truly improved and enhanced this building of great importance to the local community. In 2010 Flowitt Architects received the Godalming Trust Civic Design Award for the works to The Meath Epilepsy Trust.