New era for older living with eco-pod proposal

Birmingham’s oldest charity has reached a major milestone in its ambition to bring the city a UK-first eco-pod scheme for older residents.

Lench’s Trust, which is in its 500th anniversary year, is aiming for a new standard of living for the city’s older residents, following the submission of a full planning application to install 6 eco-homes on Trust owned woodland at the back of its existing scheme in Quinton, Birmingham.

The primary focus of the pioneering design is on nature connectivity for older people, with an aim to develop a social contract which encourages community participation in maintaining and enhancing the green spaces, building a sense of belonging and mutual care.

Designed to provide high-quality, low-cost, environmentally sustainable homes for older people experiencing financial hardship or social isolation, the proposed scheme places community, wellbeing, and nature at its centre.

With the support of architects and planning consultants the Pegasus Group, the eco-pods design looks to deliver a woodland improvement plan which includes replacing short-lived, brittle poplar trees with resilient species such as oak, field maple, cherry and hornbeam, building a comprehensive drainage solution and delivering a 3-for-1 tree replacement strategy in partnership with Birmingham City Council’s Ecology and Tree Officers.

If planning permission is approved, the pods themselves will be built using sustainable materials, high thermal performance construction, and low-energy design principles to help reduce fuel poverty for residents. The plans include pods which feature timber cladding, green roofs and contemporary detailing. These material choices are intended to visually recede into the landscape while promoting biodiversity and microclimate resilience.

Their modular construction also allows for flexible configurations, forming small clusters that support both privacy and shared community life.

A public consultation event earlier this year saw strong attendance and constructive local feedback which has been built into the final designs submitted for planning.

Dominic Bradley, Chief Executive of Lench’s Trust, said: “We are delighted to have submitted the detailed plans. The design process and consultation has been more than a year in the making, as we looked for the best way to deliver on our vision of a woodland scheme. I’d like to thank the community and our residents for their time and ideas.

“The benefits of nature connectedness are well known, and this is a great opportunity to improve a woodland area and the lives of local older people. The blend of ecological stewardship and socially supported living is truly unique.

“There is no similar affordable housing scheme in the UK, and we hope Birmingham will be a trailblazer in what the provision of homes for older people can and should look like. It’s been a long journey to this point, and we have everything crossed to get a positive decision so we can create a truly unique scheme in the heart of Birmingham.”

If planning permission is granted, priority would be given to residents with a connection to Birmingham, and to those who would otherwise be unable to afford suitable accommodation on the open market.