Work to replace Spire Lodge and Outback Centre given green light

Planning permission has been granted for a new building in Chesterfield that will replace the Sheffield Road site currently housing the Outback Centre and Spire Lodge Children’s Home. The current site is no longer functional due to the deteriorating condition of some of its buildings, its vast layout, and the Spire Lodge building’s original design as an Old People’s Home, which poses safety issues for the site users.

Concertus Design and Property Consultants will design the new building on behalf of Derbyshire County Council. The new building will be ‘L’ shaped and divided into three areas: The Spire Lodge Children’s Home, The Outback Family Support Centre, and The Emergency Accommodation.

Tom Marshall, Operations Director, Concertus Design and Property Consultants, said: “This new building is an excellent step towards modernising the service provision of Derbyshire County Council. The central hub will integrate numerous services, making it much more cost-effective and beneficial to the community.”

To ensure adequate supervision, the administration areas have been placed along the front elevation, allowing passive supervision of the car park and visitors entering the site. The more private areas, such as bedrooms and lounge areas, have been positioned to provide them with views and direct access to the garden areas where suitable.

The Outback Family Support Centre, which will be the most publicly accessible part of the building on a day-to-day basis, has been positioned in the centre to increase its presence on the site.

The building has been designed according to the Care Inspectorate’s ‘Care Homes for Children and Young People’ design guide, considering the specific requirements of the end-users.