Staff and residents at the newly-opened Buckshaw Retirement Village are celebrating being judged the best designed care village in the UK.

Buckshaw, £45 million development which was officially opened by health minister Allan Johnson last week, beat two other retirement villages in the national finals to gain the top award in the Pinders Healthcare Design Awards.

Representatives of Oakbridge Retirement Villages and its architects, DLA, collected the award at a luncheon and presentation held at Lords cricket ground in London.

Jon Chapman, a director of Pinders, said: “The judges felt that Buckshaw Retirement Village stood out significantly from the others and the concept and layout of the village works extremely well.”

The Buckshaw project was completed in December by Oakbridge Retirement Villages, with residents moving in over the last few months.

It is made up of three distinct areas.

The Court, with 78 units, is for residents who are active and independent but and want home ownership in a village community.

The Grange, caters for 78 residents who need some support but don’t want to move into a care home. The Lodge provides dementia care facilities for up to 60 along with respite and day care.

On-site facilities at the village include a gymnasium, hair and beauty salon, bowling green, bistro, library, IT suite and shop.

Buckshaw’s win also means their nominated charity, the Alzheimer’s Society, receives £2000.