Aspen plans major investment in retirement complexes

Plans for two new retirement complexes worth a total of more than £30 million have been announced by Aspen Retirement.

Part of the respected family-owned building firm, the Stepnell Group, Aspen has recently sold out its developments in Abergele, North Wales, and Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, and has ongoing apartment schemes in Solihull and Worcester.

The company is expanding its property portfolio with plans for developments in Bentley Heath, Solihull, and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Liz Herring, sales and marketing manager for Aspen, says: “It’s well documented that Britain has an ageing population and that it can put a strain on both the housing market and on services. We’re playing our part in addressing that by providing quality accommodation for both the active retired and those who perhaps need some extra care. Our developments are all aimed at allowing people to live independently in their own privately-owned homes.”

Aspen has planning permission to build 51 apartments in Four Ashes Road, Bentley Heath. Work on the £12 million development, which will include a main lounge, restaurant, function/hobbies room and a guest suite for when friends and family come to stay, is due to start in the autumn.

In Cheltenham, the company has plans for a £20 million scheme in Lansdown Road, near Montpellier, which is set to feature approximately 50 apartments with communal facilities including a lounge, restaurant, licensed bar, conservatory, library and guest suite.

“We pride ourselves in having set new standards in retirement living to ensure that we not only meet the needs of older people now but in the future too,” Liz adds.

“The layout and management of our new developments are designed to benefit our customers, enabling them to enjoy their independence but with the reassurance of friendly support staff. Our benchmark when designing, planning and looking after a development is always ‘would I want my mother to live here’.”

Work on the Bentley Heath scheme is scheduled to start in the autumn, with the first apartments due to be released for sale in spring 2014.

Subject to planning approval Aspen hopes to begin building in Cheltenham in late 2015 with the first apartments there set to be released onto the market in early 2016.

For more information about Aspen Retirement see aspenretirement.co.uk.