Lake View Care Home is a new, luxury care facility located in the village of Blackwater near Newport on the Isle of Wight. Operated by English Oak Care Homes, the home is scheduled to open in April 2026 and has been purposefully designed to provide specialist care for residents living with memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.
The project involved a full and extensive refurbishment of an existing building owned by English Oak Care Homes, with Plenty Construction appointed as the main contractor. The transformation was comprehensive, with bedrooms, communal spaces, and care facilities finished to an exceptional hotel standard. The brief was clear: combine the warmth and familiarity of a country-house-style interior with the reassurance and resilience of modern life-safety and security systems.
As local experts, Lifeline was appointed to design and install the critical fire alarm and detection systems, Access Control and a comprehensive CCTV solution, ensuring the highest levels of safety, security, and compliance without compromising the homely, luxury environment.
From the early stages of the refurbishment, Lifeline worked closely alongside Plenty Construction to ensure all life-safety and security systems were fully coordinated with the wider building works.
Regular site coordination meetings and close collaboration with the main contractor allowed Lifeline to align system designs with the evolving layout, finishes, and architectural details of the care home. This proactive approach ensured that cabling routes, device locations, and control equipment were seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the building, avoiding disruption to finished areas and maintaining the high-end aesthetic throughout.
Caring for residents living with dementia and memory-related conditions presents unique challenges when designing safety systems. Fire detection, alerting, and security solutions must be robust and fully compliant, while remaining discreet, intuitive, and non-intrusive.
Key considerations included:
• Protecting vulnerable residents who may be disoriented or unable to respond quickly in an emergency.
• Ensuring staff have instant visibility and control across the entire facility.
• Integrating modern technology within high-end, country-house-style interiors.
• Supporting safeguarding, incident prevention, and responsive care practices.
Despite a demanding programme and complex refurbishment environment, the project was delivered through close planning, experienced engineering, and collaborative working.
“This project presented many challenges, with demanding environments and tight time scales. I am delighted to have led and delivered this to both the company’s and the client’s satisfaction along with my professional colleagues.”
Tristan Dimond, Project Lead, Lifeline
From the early stages of the refurbishment, Lifeline worked closely alongside Plenty Construction to ensure all life-safety and security systems were fully coordinated with the wider building works.
Regular site coordination meetings and close collaboration with the main contractor allowed Lifeline to align system designs with the evolving layout, finishes, and architectural details of the care home.
This proactive approach ensured that cabling routes, device locations, and control equipment were seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the building, avoiding disruption to finished areas and maintaining the high-end aesthetic throughout.
By working in true partnership with the main contractor, Lifeline was able to programme installations efficiently, adapt to construction sequencing, and support the overall refurbishment programme through to completion.
To overcome the connectivity challenge, Lifeline implemented a hybrid communications approach, leveraging:
To further enhance safeguarding and operational oversight, Lifeline installed over 70 CCTV cameras throughout the building and external areas.
The CCTV system supports:
• Resident safety and safeguarding
• Staff and visitor security
• Discreet monitoring of communal spaces and circulation areas
• Asset protection and incident investigation
Careful coordination ensured camera installations were neatly integrated into ceilings and architectural features, preserving the exceptional hotel-standard finish throughout the care home.
To assist with patient and resident safety, access controlled doors are implemented at each exit to fresh air and each change of level.
• Safety and security on each level
• Respectful prevention of wandering without supervision
• Maintenance of dignity and freedom
• Prevention of falls from steps and stairs
Lifeline designed and installed a bespoke fire alarm and detection system tailored specifically for a luxury care environment. The system provides early detection, clear alerting, and full coverage across all resident rooms, communal areas, back-of-house spaces, and plant areas.
Working in step with the refurbishment programme, devices were positioned sensitively to blend into the refined interior design while maintaining optimal performance.
The system equips staff with rapid, reliable information in the event of an incident, supporting safe, well-managed responses across the home.
Lifeline engineers delivered:
“Lifeline were an absolute pleasure to work with and have on site. They delivered professionally, with integrity and on time. We really look forward to developing our relationship with them more in the future.”
Plenty Construction
The completed systems at Lake View Care Home deliver a carefully balanced combination of luxury, safety, and reassurance. Lifeline’s collaborative approach with Plenty Construction ensured that advanced life-safety and security infrastructure was seamlessly embedded into an extensive and high-quality refurbishment.
By integrating intelligent fire detection and a comprehensive CCTV solution into a refined, country-house-style environment, Lifeline has helped English Oak Care Homes create a space where residents can live with dignity, comfort, and confidence.
As Lake View Care Home prepares to welcome residents in April 2026, the systems delivered through this partnership will play a vital role in supporting safe, responsive, and person-centred care.
