New Delhi, May 10, 2017: Post-Brexit fears of moving abroad, the beauty of the British countryside and unprecedented modern design and production standards mean that luxury park homes for the over-55 s are offering a solution to the national challenge of retirement living, say industry experts, with one leading company reporting sales up by 20% year-on-year.
Graham Richardson, chief executive of Arbor Living, a leading luxury retirement developer,believes that bespoke turn-key properties offering a permanent base in attractive land spaced settings in well-connected locations,offer a truly aspiration alternative to the typical retirement bungalow.
Secure, easy-to-maintain and single-storey, luxury park homes are the ideal choice for an ageing population. By 2020, the number of UK residents over the age of 65 is expected to increase by more than one million, to 12 per cent of the population.
Mr Richardson, who has two sites; Lake shore at Burton Waters near Lincoln and Willow Pool near Lymm in idyllic Cheshire, said: “The housing needs of this increasingly younger-minded demographic have to be met with imaginative solutions that don’t compromise on lifestyle.
“At Arbor Living we offer that solution and believe that the park home sector should form an essential part of the Government’s strategy to address the shortfall in housing nationally.
“In creating a sustainable, attractive and low maintenance alternative to the typical retirement bungalow, buyer shave the opportunity to down-size, release equity and importantly, free up family accommodation for those bringing up the next generation.
“This is an incredibly buoyant industry which will continue on an upwards trajectory for many years to come.”
Mr Richardson’s confidence in the market is backed by industry colleagues who agree that in post-Brexit Britain business is booming; luxury park home manufacturers Cambrian,Prestige and Path finder and are all reporting unprecedented demand for its homes.
Kevin Jones, sales manager at Cambrian, said:“Our sales are up 20% year on year. More and more people are buying in the UK rather than Europe or further afield and choosing to live in a modern park home.
“This is due to a number of factors; the poor pound in centivising semi-retirees and retirees to stay in this country, and the fact that there are thousands of places throughout the UK which are havens for residents who want to downsize without giving up the luxury of the family home in changing circumstances.
“Devon, Cornwall and Dorset have always been in high demand but areas like Lincolnshire, Cheshire and Suffolk are really coming into their own and demand in these area continues to exceed our expectations.”
SilvanoGeranio, founder of Prestige & Home seeker Park & Leisure Homes Ltd, added:“We are busier than ever with approximately 150- 200 enquirers a week and our turnover has increased by £25m in the last three to four years alone.
“Demand is so high because there is a growing trend for over-55s to downsize. This might be to move to a single-stores home, to release equity in the family property to provide a better lifestyle in retirement or to financially help younger family members get on the housing ladder.
“Another key factor is the design and quality of the homes and the parks has increased greatly over the last few years and now this lifestyle is a real option for this demographic.”
Dave Hember, sales and marketing director at Pathfinder Homes, commented: “Today’s park homes are state of the art, built to the highest standards with the latest appliances and come with better guarantees than traditional built homes in many cases. In terms of running costs, our homes are very economical and require little maintenance.
“In wider political terms, local authority policy is about increasing density per acre at the expense of the elderly rather than building good quality bungalows. Park homes offer a solution to this, in a setting which brings its own lifestyle benefits.”
All Arbor Living homes are sited on purpose-designed, landscaped parks in well-connected locations where towns and cities are in easy reach. Parks have bus stops, access to local amenities and 24-hour security.
The homes are built to BS3632; an exacting standard covering structural stability, weather-resistance and insulation, and include a choice of distinctive kitchens and bathrooms, plus contemporary design features such as Velux windows, roll-top baths, dining areas to comfortably seat eight and outdoor terraces.
Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)
