Victoria Land - Senior Living

Senior Living

There is a continuing shortage of choice for people wishing to downsize or those in need of specialist care. Increasing the number of developments for the senior living market has lots of positives; encouraging people to move to more suitable accommodation releases under-used housing stock and often means people can downsize in familiar surroundings. There are also benefits for landowners; higher densities and bespoke design often mean better land values are achieved.

The Sector

Example retirement scheme - showing Burford courtyard Developments are generally split into two planning use classes: C2 & C3. Retirement development for downsizers and the active retired is generally classed as C3. Typical purchasers are moving to free-up equity and reduce the maintenance burden of a larger property. Many people are actively planning for the next stage of their lives so they can stay independent for longer.

For those requiring additional support on-site there is ‘Extra Care’ or ‘Assisted Living’ and this generally falls under the C2 use class. Residents will have their own apartment or cottage, but they also have help and support available for their on-going needs. The benefit of this type of development is that it caters for people for longer; as their needs grow they don’t need to worry about finding extra support.

Dedicated Care Homes offer complete day-to-day assistance and cater for people requiring round-the-clock care. A full compliment of staff manage the facilities, which come under the overall supervision of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). These developments also come under the C2 use class.

Land Requirements

The various uses that make up the sector all have varying land requirements. Developers and operators can also combine to offer a range of different accommodation types on one site, sometimes in conjunction with open market housing. Sites are typically within walking distance of local facilities in towns and larger villages. For smaller standalone retirement schemes a minimum site size of 1-1.5 acres is ideal, and between 2-5 acres for Extra Care and/or Care Home developments.

We are continually seeking suitable land for senior living schemes.

Beechcroft have been an award-winning developer of bespoke retirement schemes for over 35 years. They operate in the best locations across the south east and specialise in the refurbishment and conversion of historic buildings. They have won numerous awards for the quality of their design and landscaping schemes. Victoria Land have acted successfully for Beechcroft on numerous land acquisitions and we continue to seek new opportunities on their behalf.

www.beechcroft.co.uk

Thame, Oxon
Thame Service Station View Case Study

Thame, Oxon Thame Service Station

The Thame Service Station site was owned by successful local business ‘Thame Cars’. They had operated from the site for many years and customer numbers had continued to rise. However, with restrictive access for parking and servicing the premises were limiting future growth.

We approached the site owners on behalf of Beechcroft Developments and subsequently agreed a subject to planning deal that would allow our clients to redevelop the site for a senior living scheme. The residual funds from the purchase would enable Thame Cars to acquire a larger site nearby; maintaining their loyal customer base whilst ensuring continuity of employment for their staff.

Plans were prepared for a bespoke development; a mixture of retained buildings and a complimentary new-build courtyard. Extensive consultation was undertaken involving local residents, the neighbourhood planning group and district planners. Thanks to positive engagement and the quality of the proposals, we were able to secure a delegated planning permission some months later.

The resulting development maximised the value of a brownfield site and enabled the expansion of a popular local business. A combination of good planning, quality design and pro-active consultation made the whole process an example of how the planning system can work...

Victoria Land approached us and took time to listen to our needs. They never lost sight of the objectives and pulled together a team that were 100% professional at every turn. Making all of the pieces fit together is a complex process. Jenny and the team kept me informed every step of the way. Challenges presented themselves and they were all met head on. A big thank you to Victoria Land, they set out to deliver and that’s exactly what they did!

Karl White Managing Director - Thame Cars

Previous Use: Brownfield Car Sales Site
Scheme: 21 Retirement Units (C3)
Developer: Beechcroft Developments Limited
Planning Authority: South Oxfordshire District Council

Wheatley, Oxon
The Railway Public House View Case Study

Wheatley, Oxon The Railway Public House

The Railway Public House was owned and managed by Fullers Brewery. The building had fallen into disrepair and with a lack of patrons, Fullers decided to sell the site on an unconditional basis.

With essential local services in close proximity, we knew the site was well located for a senior living scheme and there was little in the way of local competition, despite strong demand from the market. Acting for Beechcroft, we put together a scheme proposal and a detailed viability assessment to support the bid. Due to their strong funding position and our early feasibility input, our clients put forward an unconditional offer and we convinced the brewery and their agent that we were the ideal purchasers.

A planning application was prepared alongside the legal process and the deal was completed quickly. Beechcroft later secured a local planning permission and construction and marketing soon followed.

By recognising the merits of the location and helping to devise a competitive bid, we were able to add significant value.