Dover District Council has granted planning permission for 70 extra care apartments for older people in a £25m redevelopment of the old sorting office on Charlton Green in Dover. The 0.69ha site will be developed by McCarthy & Stone, the UK’s leading retirement house builder.
Designed to help older people over 70 to retain their independence, the development will include accessible one and two bedroom apartments, along with a wide range of communal facilities, including a homeowners’ lounge, on-site bistro, hair salon, and landscaped gardens, all with the added security of 24-hour staffing. There will also be a guest suite so that friends and family can stay too.
Martin Brown, Development Director, McCarthy & Stone, commented: "We are delighted that planning permission has been granted on the Dover site, and we are pleased that our close engagement with local stakeholders has allowed us to bring this excellent site forward for redevelopment.
“We know that the number of people in the UK aged 65 or over is set to rapidly increase over the next two decades, and that almost two in five over 65s are interested in downsizing. Despite this, very little specialist retirement housing has ever been built in the UK, and the announcement of our new development in Dover is evidence of the fact we are committed to addressing this shortfall.
“We are excited to offer even more customers the opportunity to live an independent lifestyle in an attractive and convenient location, bringing our Retirement Living Plus product to Dover. Our customers will benefit from a choice of stunning high-specification apartments, as well as the flexibility to opt for discrete care packages available on-site – all within easy walking distance of Dover’s popular promenade.”
Cllr Pauline Beresford, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This is another exciting development for Dover and we’re delighted that McCarthy & Stone has seen the potential for retirement living with everything that the Dover district has to offer.
“With an ageing population, it’s important that we provide a good mix of appropriate accommodation for older people looking to downsize in retirement, which in turn, can free up housing for growing families.”
Posted on 14 August 2018