Inspired Villages secures reserved matters planning permission for scheme in Horndean

Award-winning retirement villages operator and developer Inspired Villages has secured reserved matters planning permission for an integrated retirement community (IRC) of 120 specialist homes for older people in Horndean, East Hampshire.

The scheme will help address the lack of age-appropriate housing available for older people in the UK. This country has a rapidly ageing demographic, with research showing the number of over 65s is set to increase by 41% from over 12m to nearly 18m by 2040[1], however there are currently only around 80,000 later living homes in the UK, with only around 8,000 new units set to be built each year.[2]

Inspired Villages purchased the Horndean site with outline planning permission for an IRC in place from Highwood in June 2022, and have worked closely with Highwood and East Hampshire District Council throughout the planning process to get to this latest stage.

The approved scheme will offer 120 apartments and chalet-style bungalows specially designed to discreetly meet the changing needs of residents as they age, and is adjacent to a care home currently under construction by Barchester Healthcare. At the heart of this community will be a village centre with facilities including: a restaurant, bar, café, hair salon, multifunctional activity spaces, swimming pool, fitness studio and gym.

Work is due to commence on constructing the IRC later this year.

The Horndean scheme adds to an ambitious pipeline of retirement communities for Inspired Villages, which currently has seven operational retirement villages, three in construction and a further fifteen contracted. Inspired Villages is backed by a £500m investment from Legal & General and NatWest Group Pension Fund to grow its portfolio to 34 villages, with a particular focus on delivering net zero carbon regulated energy schemes.  

Neal Dale, Development Director at Inspired Villages, said:

“We have a rapidly ageing demographic in this country with the number of over 65s set to reach 18m by 2040, which creates significant demand for age-appropriate housing so they can enjoy healthy, independent lives for as long as possible. Our approved scheme in Horndean will help us address this issue, supporting our country’s health and social care system, and create local jobs. Thanks to the team for getting us to this milestone, including Highwood and Pozzoni. We plan to start on site by end of year.”

Ellen Pearce, Planning Manager at Inspired Villages, added:

“We are delighted to have secured reserved matters planning permission for this scheme in Horndean, which will provide much needed housing for older people in the district as well as be an important addition to Inspired Villages’ growing portfolio of integrated retirement communities. The approval is a testament to our society’s growing need for homes based within supportive communities that allow older people the dignity of living independently for as long as possible. I’d like to thank everyone involved in the planning permission process, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with East Hampshire District Council and Highwood as we bring this scheme to life.”