Audley Cooper Retirement Village

Project Overview

Audley Cooper’s Hill is a high-profile heritage refurbishment and residential conversion project located within Magna Carta Park, Englefield Green, Surrey. The scheme involves the transformation of the former Brunel University Runnymede campus — a Victorian Gothic building of historic significance — into a luxury retirement village for residents aged 55 and over.

The 67-acre site is being redeveloped to provide 128 residential properties, alongside shared amenities including a health club, swimming pool, restaurant and library. The project required a façade solution capable of improving thermal performance while preserving the architectural character and visual integrity of the historic building.

Wetherby Wall Systems was appointed to provide a technically robust external wall insulation (EWI) system that would balance modern performance standards with heritage sensitivity.

Design and Specification Objectives

The façade specification was developed to achieve the following:

• Improve thermal performance in line with current regulatory and sustainability objectives.
• Provide a non-combustible, impact-resistant insulation solution suitable for long-term residential operation.
• Maintain architectural fidelity to the original Victorian Gothic design.
• Deliver a high-quality, consistent rendered finish across complex elevations.
• Ensure long-term durability and reduced maintenance for a managed retirement village environment.

Early coordination between Audley Group, Balfour Beatty and Wetherby Wall Systems’ technical team ensured system selection and detailing supported both performance requirements and heritage considerations.

System Specification

The installed façade solution comprised the following system build-up:

• Substrate:
• Existing masonry construction.
• Insulation:
• 90 mm non-combustible stone wool insulation boards, selected for their consistent density, high compressive strength and excellent impact resistance, making them well-suited for use behind thin-coat render systems.
• Thermal and Fire Performance:
• Stone wool insulation provides improved thermal efficiency while delivering robust non-combustible fire performance, supporting regulatory compliance for residential applications.
• Reinforcement and Base Coat:
• Reinforced base coat incorporating alkali-resistant mesh to enhance system integrity and façade resilience.
• Finish:
• Wetherby Thin Coat Render System with 1.5 mm silicone render, in white, delivering a consistent, high-quality architectural finish with excellent weather resistance and vapour permeability.

All components were specified as part of a fully compatible, system-based solution to ensure continuity of performance and long-term façade durability.

Installation and Technical Delivery

The project required careful technical coordination due to the building’s historic fabric and complex architectural detailing.

Key technical considerations included:

• Integration of the EWI system with existing masonry substrates.
• Detailing at ornate architectural features to maintain visual continuity.
• Consistent application of thin-coat render to achieve uniform colour and texture across varied elevations.
• Ongoing technical support provided by Wetherby Wall Systems to ensure compliance with specification guidance and installation best practice.

Performance Outcomes

• Improved thermal efficiency of the building envelope.
• Non-combustible, impact-resistant insulation solution appropriate for long-term residential use.
• Durable, vapour-permeable façade finish designed for weather resistance and reduced maintenance.
• High-quality architectural outcome that respects the historic character of the original structure.

Architect and Specifier Value

This project demonstrates how a thin-coat, stone wool EWI system can be successfully applied to heritage refurbishment and high-end residential developments. It highlights the importance of:

• System compatibility with historic masonry substrates.
• Impact resistance and compressive strength for long-term operational buildings.
• Balancing performance compliance with architectural sensitivity.
• Early technical collaboration between system provider, contractor and developer.

Client Commentary

Kevin Shaw, Managing Director, Audley Group, commented:

“The retirement village model is very different to that of traditional housebuilders. We continue to operate and manage our villages long after construction, so it is essential that we work with partners who understand the importance of long-term quality and performance.

Audley Cooper’s Hill will be an enviable retirement village in a prime location, and this development represents a natural next step in our successful partnership with Balfour Beatty.”

Project Significance

Audley Cooper’s Hill represents a benchmark for the application of modern, non-combustible EWI systems within heritage-led residential developments. The project demonstrates how contemporary performance standards can be achieved without compromising the architectural identity of historically significant buildings.