Great Ayton set to house new £13m luxury retirement village

A two-acre site in Great Ayton is set to become the location of a £13m five-star retirement and care village with 44 extra care bungalows and apartments, and 40 full-care beds.

Heritage Care Villages, part of Yorkshire-based Prospect Property Group, has applied to develop the new retirement village, which will create up to 35 full-time jobs for the town.

The site, which already has consent for a care facility, is located in the historic parkland setting of Cleveland Lodge. The proposed plans include extensive landscaping and a pond, which has been developed with Northumbrian Water to alleviate nearby flooding issues.

The lifestyle retirement village concept is incorporated into two sides. One side of the landscaped village-styled site features luxury apartments, which can be purchased by residents on a 125-year leasehold, and the other side has 40 full-care beds suitable for the care of dementia and other patients who cannot be looked after by their partners.

Residents in the assisted living apartment accommodation will be able to enjoy resort-style parks and common gardens.

The site will also include a shared restaurant, bar and social spaces, with food available for delivery to apartments for people who do not wish to cook for themselves.

In addition, residents will also benefit from on-site concierge and security services, and direct access to the 40-bed care facility if they have resident family, spouses and friends.

James Elliott of Aspect Architecture, who submitted the planning application currently under consideration by Hambleton District Council, said: “The rise in numbers of couples living longer, and especially those where one partner has been diagnosed with dementia, has given rise to a new type of assisted living facility.

“This new concept in assisted care offers the independence of a luxury retirement village, with all the social and security benefits you would expect, but with a professionally managed full-care facility on site.

“It will mean that couples facing separation due to declining physical or mental health will be able to remain at the same facility, improving quality of life for both partners. The whole prospect of being separated later in life isextremely stressful for elderly couples and this type of facility ensures a higher quality of life for both residents and patients alike, and more dignity for those needing full care.

“Having both types of accommodation together means that visiting for residents will be very easy and flexible, and the community benefits offered by such facilities are extremely positive for older people as well.

The proposed facility is one of four similar centres planned for development by Heritage Care Villages across the UK in 2016.

James added: “The changing demographics, life expectancy and varying standards of NHS care means this type of high-quality, couple-based care is much in demand.

“We hope the application will progress this summer, and the first apartments will be ready for occupation in 2016.”