Inspired Villages finalises construction partnership to support the expansion of retirement communities across the south of the country

Inspired Villages, a leading operator and developer of later living communities established by Legal & General, has finalised its construction partnership of nine construction firms to support the delivery of its extensive development plans for the south of the country.  Inspired Villages currently has six villages in operation, three of which have construction of further residential phases ongoing. The company’s seventh and eighth villages are also under construction, with works expected to commence on four further villages in 2021 as well.

The appointment of the South East Partner Group (or “the Construction Partners”) follows a comprehensive selection process that saw more than 40 regional and national construction contractors submit an expression of interest followed by interviews and a short-listing process.  The Construction Partners, which include Castleoak, Highwood, Graham, Kier, Stepnell, Thakeham, Vistry, Wates and Willmott Dixon, have been selected based on their expertise, ingenuity and ability to work to a predictable and consistent timeline, as well as a track record in delivering the highest quality retirement communities within allocated timeframes and budget.  Furthermore, the appointed contractors have a commitment to health, safety and the environment that aligns with Inspired Villages’ environmental strategy of creating homes that are energy efficient, causing minimal construction waste, and installing clean energy technology and infrastructure across new developments.  

Currently, there are more than 12 million over-65s in the UK and this figure is expected to grow by 50% over the next 20 years.  Life expectancy may have increased, however, living longer doesn’t necessarily mean living well.  Older people in the UK increasingly live to an old age with conditions that may impact their quality of life.  Retirement communities, such as those developed and operated by Inspired Villages, have been proven to keep people healthier for longer. 

Each Inspired village development is typically delivered in three phases over a period of approximately four years at a cost contract ranging from £10 million to £30 million per phase.  The Construction Partners will work collectively across the Southern development pipeline, providing continuity and consistency of high quality workmanship, managing the full supply chain for each project.  

Inspired creates beautiful homes surrounding vibrant village centres, many of which include: a wellness suite, a swimming pool, a gym and pilates studio, treatment rooms, a hairdresser, a restaurant, bar, shop/cafe, library/cinema and a craft room. With a continued focus on great architecture and design that helps older people stay active in later life, an Inspired village provides more than just a home, it provides residents with a more mentally, physically and socially active lifestyle for longer.  

Neal Dale, Development Director at Inspired Villages, commented: 

“Adding to our existing portfolio of 1,000 homes, Inspired’s ambitious strategy will deliver retirement communities across the UK in order to satisfy the growing demand for well-designed, later living communities.  The appointment of the South East Partner Group will be an important part of streamlining the delivery of our extensive pipeline whilst generating strong partnering relationships with key delivery businesses.” 

Shaun Whelan, Construction Director at Inspired Villages, added: 

“These are exciting times for Inspired Villages and following the successful launch of our South East Partner Group we are now turning our attention to establish similar contractor partnership groups for the midlands, north and Scotland to support our ambitious growth plans and align with our future development opportunities. Contractors wishing to be considered for one of our further contractor partnership groups can show an expression of interest by initially contacting [email protected].”