Inspired Villages secures planning permission for expansion of Kent village

Award-winning retirement villages operator Inspired Villages has achieved planning permission for phase 3 of development at its Ledian Gardens community in Leeds Village, Kent.

The new phase will add 39 extra homes to the retirement community, which is on track to welcome residents to its first phase of homes, including the village centre facilities, this summer, with works on the second phase due to start later this year. Once complete, Ledian Gardens will comprise 155 homes, alongside a village centre with a swimming pool, spa, gym, restaurant and shop. This new third phase will add more choice of living accommodation including cottages and bungalows, as well as a woodland open space area with access for the wider community.

The approval is a key step forward in addressing the critical need for age-appropriate housing in the UK. Research shows there are more than 12m over 65s in the UK and this figure is expected to sharply increase by 41% to 18m by 2040[1].  Integrated retirement communities (IRCs), like the ones Inspired Villages operates, allow older people to live independently in their own home for longer as they are part of a wider community where flexible lifestyle, wellbeing and care services are available.

Currently, Inspired Villages is on track to deliver 5,100 homes for older people over the next 14 years as part of a £500m joint venture investment by partners NatWest Group Pension Fund and Legal & General. The IRC provider has six operational villages, with two more due to open later this year, including Ledian Gardens, a further two in construction, and an ambitious pipeline of further contracted sites.

Neal Dale, Development Director at Inspired Villages, commented:

“We’re pleased to have secured planning permission for phase 3 of development at our Ledian Gardens scheme in Kent. Our country’s ageing demographics means there is a growing demand for communities where older people can enjoy healthy, independent lives with less reliance on our overburdened health and social care system. This latest planning permission allows us to support the physical and mental wellbeing of more older people in the Kent area. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the process and supported us.”

Ellen Pearce, Planning Manager at Inspired Villages, added:

“We look forward to working with the council to complete the legal agreement and to continue working with them as we deliver this exciting project.”