In August 2008, Colin and Louise Bentley, together with John and Carol Smith were presented with the opportunity of purchasing a property known as “The Mount”, adjacent to their existing premises, Coniston Residential Home, Garfield Road, Felixstowe, since renamed Cotman Lodge.
The location of the site meant that any new development would be fraught with challenges. With the help of Wincer Kievennar, the architects, planning permission was sought and granted to demolish the existing building and construct a brand new, purpose built residential home for the elderly.
Work began in October 2009, but before any building work could commence, the land had to be stabilised. To achieve this, it was necessary to sink 52 piles alongside the site boundary; each pile to a depth of at least 15 metres. A total of 17,500 tonnes of soil was removed from the front of the piles. This amounted to 875 lorry loads! The result of this was a level site and the total removal of the cliff side that the original building stood upon. Overall, a total of 170 piles, each to a depth of 8 – 15 metres were driven into the site. Construction of the building then commenced, using a tower crane with a 35 metre reach, which dominated the Felixstowe skyline for many months.
The result is a stunning, beautifully designed and constructed building, nestling into the cliff overlooking Felixstowe seafront. The owners have put their 27 years experience in caring for the elderly to good use. The interior combines supreme comfort with state of the art technology and every detail has been most carefully considered. Local contractors and suppliers have been used to ensure high standards throughout. Every resident will have a most tastefully furnished room, en-suite wet room facilities, the latest adjustable pro-file beds complete with custom made mattresses, satellite television, telephone and internet connection. The majority of the rooms have panoramic sea views; some with balconies and some direct access to the large attractive garden area. Other facilities in the building include a library, cinema, hairdressing salon, and the latest barrier laundry systems. Cotman House benefits from the personal involvement of the directors who are supported by the manager and a highly experienced team who already have an excellent reputation in Cotman Lodge. Both the directors and staff are very excited to be part of this unique project. The owners wish to pay tribute to Carters of Ipswich, who have been outstanding in their efforts throughout the project. The finished building is a testament to their craftsmanship and attention to detail. A special thank you is due to the residents of Garfield Road and the surrounding area for their patience and understanding as the construction work progressed.
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