PSA delivered the full mechanical and electrical design for Riverside Housing Group’s new 79-apartment residential extra care scheme in Workington. Completed in October 2025.
The apartments form part of a larger £19m project for the Extra Care facility. Working alongside contractor Atkinsons Builders and Cumbria Mechanical. We developed an M&E design that met Riverside Care Services’ exacting operational specifications. The design kept costs firmly within a tight design and build budget. The result is a purpose-built home for people in the community, ready to welcome its first residents in 2026.
CLIENT: Riverside Housing Group
LOCATION: Workington, Cumbria
SERVICES: Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
COMPLETED: 2025
INDUSTRY: Residential
CLIENT OBJECTIVES
Cumbria Mechanical approached PSA to provide full mechanical and electrical design for the residential apartment block within a £19m wider development. The aim was about delivering designs within the realities of a design and build contract, where budget pressures are a constant presence. Riverside Care Services, as the building owner, had their own clearly defined specifications that needed to be met. These weren’t arbitrary requirements, they were based on years of experience running similar schemes and knowing what works operationally. The brief was straightforward, to design M&E services for 79 residential apartments. This included communal areas including a hairdresser’s and café. All whilst respecting both Riverside’s operational standards and the financial parameters of the contract. It was the sort of challenge we see regularly in the extra care sector, where good design means finding the sweet spot between aspiration and affordability.
OUR SOLUTION
We worked alongside Atkinsons Builders from the outset, which made all the difference when it came to value engineering. Rather than designing in isolation and hoping the numbers worked, we had ongoing conversations about what was achievable within budget. This collaborative approach meant we could make informed decisions about specifications without compromising on the essentials. The design covered everything the residential building needed to function as a modern extra care facility, from the basics like heating and lighting through to the data infrastructure and safety systems that residents would rely on. We made sure Riverside’s operational requirements were built into every decision, they know their buildings better than anyone, and their specifications exist for good reasons.
Design elements:
- Centralised heating system with gas-fired boilers
- Lighting and power distribution
- Data infrastructure
- Fire safety and security systems
- Ventilation strategy
- Water supply and distribution
THE OUTCOME
The building reached practical completion in October 2025, with the first residents expected to move in during early 2026. The project stayed within budget whilst meeting Riverside’s specifications, which was exactly what everyone needed. It’s now ready to provide homes for older people in Workington who need that bit of extra support, delivered through a design that balanced practical requirements with financial reality.
