After a successful planning appeal, Churchill Retirement Living has been granted planning permission to build 34 brand new independent living retirement apartments on the corner of Railway Street and Bircherley Street in Hertford. The new development will bring a thriving new community to the heart of town, contributing around £260k a year to the local economy and supporting up to 64 jobs both during and after construction.The new apartments will provide attractive, high quality, secure and self-contained accommodation in landscaped grounds. As with all Churchill Retirement Living developments, apartment buyers will enjoy independent living and a sense of community, with a communal Owners’ Lounge, a Guest Suite, a Lodge Manager, and a 24 hour emergency call alarm service.Churchill’s Regional Managing Director Alan Edgar said: “This is a very positive result and we will now look forward to starting work as soon as possible on this new development in Hertford. Retirement housing is shown to be the most effective form of residential development for generating local economic growth, supporting local jobs, and increasing high street spend. Our new apartments will also help improve the health and wellbeing of those who live there, and meet the housing needs of many older people in Hertford and the surrounding area. Enabling older people to downsize will also help to free up homes for younger families in the area to move into.”The new development will generate these key benefits:
- Benefits the local economy by around £260,000 per year as its central location encourages residents to shop locally.
- Supports around 64 local jobs both during and after construction.
- Allows older people to downsize and free up under occupied houses in the local area for families – we estimate around 68 second hand homes will be released onto the market, helping around 23 first time buyers onto the ladder.
- Each person living in a retirement property typically experiences reduced health risks, contributing to fiscal savings to local NHS and social care services of c.£3,500 per person per year. The development in Hertford will therefore create total health and social care savings of around £155,000 per year.
- Provides older people with safety, security and companionship.
- Provides an attractive, bespoke building which complements the existing streetscape.
- Reduces the need to travel by car, due to proximity to local facilities.