The development, Ayrton House in Mill Hill, North London, contains a mixture of 60 self-contained, one-, two- and three-bed apartments, all purpose built on the site of a historic former medical research institute. Communal features of the development include a restaurant, club room, licensed bar and wellness suite, as well as landscaped gardens.
The development marks Birchgrove’s first Greater London community and was set in motion in September last year, when it acquired Ayrton House. It is also planning to open a development in West London, having now obtained planning permission for 50 apartments on a site it purchased in Chiswick in 2022. A further site being built in the Hampton Court Estate is also aimed at the West London market, with its location just a few hundred metres from the famous Hampton Court Palace in Richmond.
Honor Barratt, Chief Executive of Birchgrove, said: “Birchgrove is going from strength to strength and we’re excited to have our fourth development now open, particularly as it is our very first in London, where we know demand for senior living is especially high.
“It’s a common misconception among some sectors that once they get older, people want to move to the country or live by the seaside. Surveys frequently show that many retired people want to live in the bustling Capital with all its cultural attractions and this is particularly true for those who’ve lived there a long time.
“We know from previous research that many older Londoners live in homes far too big for them, with over-75s in the Capital typically having at least twice the number of bedrooms they need. In a city with such a tight housing market, freeing up some of these homes could contribute to improving the overall housing situation across many demographics.
“Many older people would be interested in moving to smaller properties if more suitable local options were on offer. By providing a thriving community as we open our first London development, we’re hoping we can attract more of these people into our development and eventually, roll out more London communities for those who want to continue to live in the Capital but without the burden of maintaining a property too large for them.”
A report released by Age Concern in September last year revealed there were 1.4 million people aged over 60 living in London and that this group was the fastest growing demographic in the Capital. Of these, 59% felt positive about living in London, rising to 64% of those aged 75 and over. The report also found that many Londoners had deep connections to the area, with 76% reporting being happy with their family and community connections and only 16% often feeling lonely.
The report also found that 70% of older Londoners owned their own home. However, many of those homes are underoccupied and could be put to better use if older Londoners had more suitable options for downsizing. Previous research carried out by Professor Les Mayhew of the International Longevity Centre and Bayes Business School found that over-75s in the capital had more than twice the number of bedrooms they needed, while those aged 65-74 had 70% more bedrooms than necessary.
Birchgrove’s new Mill Hill apartments are exclusively available to independently minded people in later life. In keeping with other Birchgrove developments, all of the residences are future proof, with level-access bathrooms, wider-than-standard doorways and lifts. In addition, all Ayrton House apartments have been fitted with Nobi smart lights. These AI-driven intelligent lights are designed to detect, help prevent and even predict falls among occupants.
The building is the centrepiece of the “Ridgeway Views” residential scheme, a 47-acre, 528-home project in Mill Hill’s conservation area, with many of Birchgrove’s residences having sweeping views over Totteridge Common.
Founded in 2017, Birchgrove also operates three other retirement communities in the South-East, with one of these now at full capacity and operating a waiting list. It has a fifth development set to open before the end of this year in Godalming, Surrey, and four additional communities under construction.