Bluebell House

About this project

The Bluebell House development in Westcroft, Milton Keynes, was undertaken by McCarthy Stone.

This scheme includes 41 residential units, along with ancillary spaces on the ground floor such as a homeowner lounge, reception lobby, mobility scooter storage, refuse area, plant room, and staff and guest suites. The building is a three-story residential block constructed using load-bearing masonry.

The main block was built using Porotherm, a modern load-bearing construction method that employs thin-jointed hollow clay blocks. This approach sped up construction and reduced the overall weight of the walls.

The building is supported by pile foundations and reinforced ground beams to ensure stability on the sloping site.

Due to the site’s topography, the ground floor was cut into the slope. On the northern side of the site, the first floor is level with the external ground, while on the southern side, the first floor is elevated by a full storey.

The site’s varying topography presented significant engineering challenges, particularly in completing the piling works at both high and low levels.

Externally, a series of retaining walls were required to provide level access for residents to the garden spaces and to ensure 24/7 access to the substation located to the north of the site.