Posted 12 December 2017 by
Keith OsborneIts combination of coast and countryside, towns and villages and great transport connections make Hampshire a particularly popular place for retirees and those considering a new build retirement property.
Government statistics confirm the county’s appeal to people of retirement age: with a national average of 18% of people over 65, the districts of Hampshire all exceed this figure considerably, with Test Valley (30%), East Hants (32%) and New Forest (36%) at the top of the list.
Three renowned scenic areas - the New Forest, South Downs and North Wessex Downs - cover major areas of Hampshire, and its coastline varies from scenic shoreline to the major ports of Southampton and Portsmouth. The latter provide major transport links, just part of an impressive list of major roads and rail links that make accessibility and travel so easy here.
The retirement homes market is expanding across the UK and Hampshire is certainly a place that is benefitting from the construction of a fantastic collection of dedicated new developments and ‘retirement villages’ to suit a range of taste and budget. From blocks of apartments to streets of properties served by an impressive range of leisure and medical facilities, over-55s have plenty of choice.
We take a look at the best current developments for retirees in Hampshire:
Retiring in Eastleigh
Just to the north of Southampton, Eastleigh is an exceptionally well-connected town, with easy access to the major nautical services as well as two motorways and a direct rail link to London Waterloo.Its proximity to coast and two national parks makes it ideal for those who enjoy outdoor life, too.
Anchor’s Bishopstoke Park is a high-quality retirement village with a converted 19th-century building at its centre, which is the ‘focal point’ of life at the development. Facilities here are impressive: swimming pool, steam room and sauna, a fully equipped gym, bistro and delicatessen are among those for use of residents. Orchard Gardens care home is also on this site, offering a wide range of services from residential care to dementia care. The latest phase two apartments here are currently priced from £345,000.
Retiring in Hamble-le-Rice
On the peninsula between Southampton Water and River Hamble, the village of Hamble-le-Rice is host to a number of sailing and yachting clubs and will delight those who love waterside life. With a decent set of shops and amenities of its own, the village is only a few minutes drive from the M27, which provides easy access to Southampton, Fareham and Portsmouth.
McCarthy & Stone, the UK’s biggest specialist retirement developer by far, is offering a range of apartments at Folland Court, with a central village location just moments from shops and transport links. With prices from £345,500 for a two-bedroom apartment at present, these properties have a contemporary design and include many useful integrated kitchen appliances, triple glazing and on-site parking.
Retiring in Romsey
This market town in the Test Valley is in a great position, on the doorstep of beautiful countryside and also within easy reach of Southampton, Winchester and Salisbury. It has a number of historic buildings but also a good selection of modern shops and leisure facilities. It’s railway station offers routes and connections across the southern counties and into Wales and London. It is certainly popular for retirement home development, with several choices for property-hunters right now.
LifeCare Residences is offering a range of apartments and bungalows at its Grove Place village, set within 27 acres and with a Grade I listed manor house at its centre, now home to a number of communal amenities.
Audley Retirement is planning 155 cottages and apartments in Stanbridge Earls, a village on a 32-acre site to the north-west of Romsey. This one will have a listed Tudor house as its focus, with the site having things like a restaurant, library and health club for residents to use, and its new homes are set to open in 2019.
The last apartment at Renaissance Retirement’s Fleur-de-Lis Romsey is now on sale at £275,000, on a development just five minutes from the town centre which has a communal drawing room and guest suite for visiting friends and family to stay in.
Retiring in Andover
In the north-west of Hampshire at on the southern fringes of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (home of Watership Down), Andover has a long history and continues to be an important location in this part of the country, with a railway station connecting to London and the South West.
Award-winning Churchill Retirement Living has one- and two-bedroom apartments available from £208,950 at its Chantry Lodge development. Its town centre location means it’s within moments of the River Anton and a host of shops, pubs and restaurants in the town. The development offers landscaped gardens and a communal lounge for residents to enjoy, as well as a guest suite for hire.
Retiring in Yateley
Within the Hart District Council area, a regular high-ranker in quality-of-life surveys, Yateley is in the north-eastern corner of the county, close to the Surrey border. In addition to its own collection of places to shop and relax, the town is well connected to others in the local area, and has a rail route into London, too.
The Hampshire Lakes development from Anchor won a Silver at the WhatHouse? Awards 2016 and its first phase has subsequently sold out. A second phase of homes will be coming to market soon. There’s a great range of facilities for residents on site: a juice bar, deli, bistro, reading room and craft room cover a diverse range of interests and are matched in quality by the Senses Wellness Centre and Spa, which provides a pool, gym and hair./beauty salon.