Putting baby boomers at the heart of a community
DEBORAH STONE examines a revolutionary concept which rolls out retirement village facilities for those who want to keep rocking in later years
THE ROLLING STONES go back on tour this April, filling American stadiums from Miami to Chicago until June. It follows their No Filter UK and Europe tour last year and, despite a combined age of around 300, they’re not expected to retire any time soon.
Sir Elton John, also in his 70s, has started a 300-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road world tour that will hit the UK in 2020. But he has no intention of retiring and says: “It doesn’t mean I won’t still be creative.”
It’s this rock ’n’ roll attitude of baby boomers, who refuse to settle for a pipe and slippers retirement, that is being channelled into Audley Group’s new retirement living proposition: Mayfield Villages, which Audley promises will transform the way older people live.
The first Mayfield Village will be opened at Watford Riverwell, near Sir Elton’s beloved Watford Football Club. It’s a £400million mixeduse regeneration partnership between Watford Borough Council and Kier Property to revive the area around Watford hospital with new homes, shops, schools, community facilities, public open spaces and jobs.
Once complete, Mayfield Watford will have 253 one and two-bedroom apartments and a central Mayfield Club with a buzzing bar, bistro, swimming pool, village hall, fitness rooms and spa.
Owners will automatically become members of the club, although facilities will be open to other locals to reinforce Mayfield Watford’s place in the community.
But the key element of this retirement living revolution is the price. One-bedroom flats, specifically designed for older people, with contemporary kitchens and bathrooms plus modern insulation standards, are now available from £262,500 (0800 840 9020; Mayfieldvillages.co.uk) – an asking price more often found for new-build retirement flats without any extra facilities.
At Audley’s Chalfont Dene retirement village in Buckinghamshire, one-bedroom flats have been sold from £490,000 up to £610,000 commanding a premium price thanks to the luxurious surroundings and central leisure club.
Now Mayfield Villages are breaking the mould by offering communal facilities but keeping prices down by building larger developments and making apartments slightly smaller than other Audley retirement flats.
“What we have had to do with Mayfield is make it more available,” says Audley CEO
Nick Sanderson. “The development had to be bigger and units slightly smaller; trimming back the boutique style. But because the development is bigger it is available to more people.
“The Mayfield launch is to make the same lifestyle and care available to the people in the middle-income bracket, rather than just the high-income bracket.
“Only seven or eight per cent of local authorities have specific policies for how to deal with older people. They have policies on starter houses and family houses but none on older people. What they should be doing is looking at the needs of the whole community.”
That is why Mayfield Watford is part of a larger housing scheme, rather than in an isolated country setting. “Mayfield Watford is part of 2,000 units being built in the area so it is very much part of what is going on.” says Sanderson.
The Mayfield concept is expected to be rolled out across the country, says Sanderson. And because 74 per cent of over-70s are home-owners, he says, the lower price point should be more attractive to downsizers of all incomes.
“The idea of living in your own home with a great lifestyle available and access to staff 24 hours a day with care in your own home as your health changes – it is the same as in the high-end Chalfont Dene,” says Sanderson. “It is the same but better.”