Neva Road – Weston-super-Mare

51m²clear open-space stone extension

In 2014 we were appointed main contractor for Vision North Somerset, a registered charity supporting 1,600 blind and partially sighted people in the area. The build demanded real attention to detail and close client liaison to make sure the finished building worked for its users.

Highlights

• New natural-stone extension providing 51m² of clear open space
• 8m-wide ‘lift and slide’ doors to the rear
• Full underfloor heating linked to an air-source heat pump
• Bespoke, highly flexible lighting: dimmable fluorescents, LED spots, uplighters and flush LED pathfinder lighting to the new access path and ramp
• New ~200m² tarmac driveway and parking
• Bespoke handrailing and balustrade

Accessibility was a key factor in the design of our extension, given that we are a charity providing help to blind people. We wanted to ensure that people with other disabilities could also use the building easily. Our architect Rajeswari Raj and builders EJ McGrath proved to be the ideal team.

We have an old Victorian building, and stone reclaimed from the demolition of old outbuildings was reused to build our new extension. The stonework is amazing and really blends in well with the old building. EJ McGrath really understood our needs: we wanted lots of natural light, and they helped us select the best patio doors for the job, sliding doors rather than bi-folds, because they are more accessible for blind people.

We had very specific needs around lighting, up-lighters to reflect light from the ceiling, dimmable suspended fluorescents, and outside LED lights to provide wayfinding for people with sight loss. Roger, EJ McGrath’s electrician, took all of our demands in his stride, and we have a really flexible system to suit all occasions.

We have had such good feedback from service users and community groups alike, and we are very proud of the end product. It’s all down to listening to each other’s ideas, good teamwork and excellent workmanship.

Celia Henshall, Chief Executive, Vision North Somerset