In planning its third retirement community at Ewell, Birchgrove, market leader in assisted living properties, spared no time or expense in working with heritage consultants to sensitively refurbish and repurpose the old office block and Grade II listed Mill House and Granary buildings, dating back to 1867, on the 1.3-acre site, bringing them back into use to provide beautifully apportioned self-contained apartments for people in later life.
The site runs alongside the Hogsmill River, one of the last remaining chalk rivers in this country. It was a key design consideration to run the building alongside the river, giving all the communal facilities and many of the apartments the opportunity to watch the life of the river and listen to the water running over the weir. The benefits of living on water are well documented.
Birchgrove entered into a design and build contract with Castleoak, its chosen construction partner in September 2019. However, Castleoak didn’t manage to weather the Covid storm and entered administration in October last year. Birchgrove was faced with trying to find an alternative contractor willing to complete the construction and agree to warranty someone else’s half-finished job, or to finish the build itself which is what it chose to do.
Lower Mill Apartments consists of 53 one- and two-bedroom apartments with 23 different floor plans. It’s not a ‘cookiecutter’ scheme, the listed elements and the typography have dictated a very bespoke design solution. The result of this is that each resident feels they have the best apartment – because they have the apartment that is perfect for them.
This ‘can do’ attitude through the build permeated the building and is now embodied in the new neighbours – of whom 30% reserved off-plan.
Aligned to this idea of neighbourhood is the Birchgrove PED programme –Purpose, Exercise, Diet to empower residents to live a fuller life. Fundamental to having a healthy, longer life is a sense of purpose, to keep moving and weight bearing and eating food that can help manage conditions with less medication.
The judges commented: “A fascinating story of the (slightly challenging) development and its subsequent operation. Birchgrove brought to life how its values of Purpose Exercise Diet are actually put into practice for the benefit of the residents. We also got to learn about certain team members, which underlined the fact that a successful development is not just about bricks and mortar but mainly about the people. Well done!”
“Gets my top vote due to the creative adaptation of an historic building to create an intimate neighbourly feel.”
Honor Barratt, chief executive of Birchgrove, adds: “It’s hugely uplifting to have won the award for ‘Development of the year’ for Lower Mill Apartments. This development has a very special place in my heart and the recognition is rewarding and testament to the hard work of the team and the people who live at Lower Mill.”
Birchgrove, the specialist property developer, plans, builds and operates assisted living developments exclusively for the rental market. Whilst other companies offer rental apartments, Birchgrove is the only operator to position its business exclusively with renters in mind.
In December 2021, Birchgrove entered into a partnership with M&G Real Estate – part of M&G plc’s £76 billion private assets and alternatives business – to fund £200 million of purpose-built senior living homes. In the first deal as part of the partnership, M&G acquired two of Birchgrove’s existing developments for £69 million: Queensgate Apartments, Sidcup and Woodbank Apartments, Woking. Birchgrove will continue to manage the two schemes and any other properties M&G acquires.
The two developments comprise 125 one, two- and three-bedroom apartments specifically designed for older people. Each development benefits from communal facilities including a restaurant, club room, fitness suite and library, as well as landscape gardens and regular events and activities programme.
M&G’s entry into the seniors housing market was a landmark deal for the UK seniors housing market in 2021/2022, showing the strength and opportunity of the sector. This form of rental housing will form a significant part of the UK market in the coming years, as demand from residents and investors continues to grow.
Birchgrove was the brainchild of Bridges Fund Management – a specialist sustainable and impact investor with a long track record of successful property
“It’s very good to see M&G investing in the sector.”
“The team that has put the rental model into play believe that sufficient prospective residents exist who are not property owners.”
development in the care sector. Bridges launched Birchgrove in 2017, when there was no retirement rental market believing that renting retirement homes would enable many more people to access assisted living facilities and allow the inclusion of many who are excluded from the ‘for sale’ model. This partnership with M&G gives validation to that hunch.
Honor Barratt, chief executive of Birchgrove, said: “It makes me so happy to have won the award for our partnership with M&G. This partnership allows us to move forward on an even stronger, more sustainable footing. The recognition from the judges acknowledges that our rental model enables many more people to access the benefits of assisted living and that these two communities have blazed a trail that others are now following.”
Knight Frank is one of the world’s leading independent real estate consultancies. Founded in 1896 and headquartered in London, the firm consists of more than 16,000 people operating from 384 offices across 51 territories worldwide.
The Knight Frank seniors housing team offers expertise in every aspect of seniors housing investment, specialising in the disposal, acquisition and valuation of integrated retirement communities and retirement housing, aimed at seniors housing developers, funders and operators.
The team comprises the industry’s leading advisors and specialists, whose collective experience, knowledge and insight ensures Knight Frank always provides clients with the very best strategic guidance and advice.
The seniors housing team works closely with several other sector specialists at Knight Frank, including the healthcare, residential capital markets, and purposebuilt student accommodation teams, which comprise over 100 additional advisors.
We are proud of our depth of knowledge gathered from our active role in many of the key transactions and valuation mandates in the market and take a highly collaborative approach drawing on the depth of global resources in Knight Frank. We have four separate service lines covering all aspects of seniors housing in the UK:
LifeCare Residences – we care about living life.
We are delighted that, for a second consecutive year, LifeCare Residences has won the ‘Best hospitality, retail and wellness environment’ category at the HealthInvestor Seniors Housing Awards. This year Grove Place, our integrated retirement community in Romsey, Hampshire triumphed against an impressive list of finalists.
Occupying a 27-acre estate, surrounding a Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house, Grove Place is the perfect enviornment for discerning individuals seeking to optimise later life. Residents benefit from unlimited access to a variety of wide-open spaces including gardens, bluebell woods and meadows – a stunning setting that also enhances health and wellbeing.
Accessibility to cultural and creative activities is hugely important in older age, helping to empower self-esteem and a sense of self-worth. Grove Place’s outstanding amenities and services are complemented with a wide choice of clubs and activities ranging from themed parties to physical fitness, music and art classes, as well as local excursions. This blend of bespoke facilities and activities, makes Grove Place the ideal choice for an active and stimulating retirement.
A long-serving team is also integral to our award-winning offering. Their unique blend of experience, dedication and commitment is coupled with a passion for this uniquely historic estate (often referred to as ‘Hampshire’s Treasure’).
At LifeCare Residences, our success is ultimately judged on the feedback we
receive from residents and their families – this inspires us to continuously grow and provide greater levels of service in an ever-expanding industry.
“We just have to say what an amazing job you and the team are doing. When we walk round the grounds and see other people, we all say – without exception –how lucky we are to be here.”
“There really isn’t a retirement community as good as this. We sometimes feel as though we are on a wonderful luxury cruise, but in our own apartments.”
LifeCare Residences’ chief operating officer, Gary Heather, comments: “Not only is this a much-deserved tribute to the team at Grove Place, but it is also a fitting reflection of what we do as an organisation and our vision ‘To be the lifestyle of choice for a new phase of life’.”
The judges commented: “Grove Place shows how a village is still investing, improving and innovating 13 years after it opened. It offers a range of different hospitality and wellbeing initiatives, from the team on-site for the residents, with high levels of engagement and satisfaction being achieved as a result. The team is really using the beautiful and historic setting to provide an enriching environment.”
For further details on LifeCare Residences and our exceptional communities, please contact 0800 009 6950 or visit: lifecareresidences.co.uk or groveplace.co.uk.
Adam Greenwood Melville Knight Care and retirement living sector specialist
Richard Martin Relationship Director, Leumi UK
Anne-Marie Nicholson Principal, Life3A Mike Parsons Chair, vice-chair and non-executive director Nigel Sibley Chairman, Revere Life
Simon Webster Partner at Elevation Advisors
David Whiteley Founder, Whiteley Consulting