Willmott Dixon has furthered its growing portfolio of retirement living projects after being appointed by Rangeford Villages to deliver a £43m scheme that will create 116 apartments and state of the art amenities at Homewood Grove.

Situated near Chertsey, Surrey, the 4.7-acre brownfield site will be transformed into a state-of-the-art retirement community for the over 60s. The project will consist of 116 one, two and three bed apartments, ranging from 700 sq ft to 1,200 sq ft. The properties will be highly energy efficient and will include modern features such as underfloor heating, double-glazed picture windows and an all-electric energy system to help lower bills and reduce the environmental impact. Electric car charging points, an electric pool car as well as communal transport will all be available for residents’ use.

Residents will also benefit from a number of state-of-the-art amenities, including a wellbeing centre (pool, steam room and sauna), gym, dance studio, bistro and bar/coffee/shop, a members lounge, village hall and a hair and beauty salon. The community will be staffed 24/7, and each home will be fitted with electronic tablets to receive updates on activities and social clubs at the village and to request emergency assistance.

As with previous developments, Rangeford Villages has financial backing from Octopus Real Estate, part of the Octopus Group and a leading investor in healthcare facilities throughout the UK and Ireland, for the project. Once completed in Spring 2024, Homewood Grove will be operated by Rangeford.

Howard Nankivell, Chief Executive Officer at Rangeford Villages said:

“With continuously strong demand for high-quality and aspirational living options for the over 60s, we are delighted to announce Willmott Dixon as our main contractor for Homewood Grove. The company’s unrivalled reputation for creating sought-after developments is the perfect fit for this project and our teams are looking forward to establishing Homewood Grove as an exciting addition to the local community.”

Richard Poulter, Managing Director from Willmott Dixon’s Central South region said:

“We are delighted to be working with Rangeford Villages on this development. The new facilities will provide a brilliant building within which its residents can be part of a thriving community. The high-quality, sustainable credentials of this project are strongly aligned with our ambition to ensure the built environment allows its occupants, communities, and surrounding environment to thrive.”

Kevin Beirne, Director and Head of Retirement at Octopus Real Estate said:

“We are pleased to be investing in another quality retirement village with Rangeford, which offers the prospect of good returns for investors and strong impact by improving the health and wellbeing of its future residents. At Octopus Real Estate we believe that providing high-quality, lifestyle-oriented retirement communities for Britain’s older people plays a huge role in combatting the housing crisis, by freeing up family homes for second and third steppers. Like so many of us, today’s retirees care greatly about sustainable living, so the eco-friendly credentials of these properties will be a huge draw.”

The project marks the latest in Willmott Dixon’s extensive retirement living portfolio, creating homes and facilities for residents to enjoy and remain independent while feeling safe. The company are currently onsite at Millfield Green in Bedfordshire, delivering a £31m net-zero carbon retirement living village. Furthermore, the company have recently handed over the £12m 65 home Springfields Independent Living complex in Leicestershire, and the 48 apartment Hale End Court independent living facility in Woking.