Barchester acquire consented care home development site from Highwood Group in a deal

The care home scheme is situated within a larger urban extension which includes up to 800 new homes, a two-form entry primary school, a local centre with shops and other community facilities, and a community building, all of which is set among 25 acres of playing fields and woodland spaces.

Highwood Group and Barchester achieved Reserved Matters planning permission in April 2021 for a best in class ‘C’ shaped care home design featuring en-suite bedrooms over the ground and first floors. Luxury resident amenities include various lounge spaces, a dining room, shop, salon and a café. One of the lounges and the activity room will have access to terraces which will promote engagement with the outdoor spaces and offer views over the grounds of the development and the South Downs National Park. Externally, landscaped gardens are anticipated to surround the scheme complete with a pedestrian walkway and pond.

Highwood Group is an award winning, privately owned development company with over 30 years of experience in delivering distinctive and responsible housing projects underpinned by sustainable development. They are renowned for delivering landmark care home’s and retirement villages in addition to residential estates and inner city regeneration projects.

Speaking on behalf of Highwood Group, Director Phil Prosser comments, “Having promoted Horndean for a number of years as a new Retirement Community, we are absolutely delighted to have finally completed on the site and transacted on the first phase with our trusted and valued partner, Barchester Healthcare, where we will be developing a first-class care home on the edge of the National Park.”

Barchester Healthcare is one of the largest care providers in the United Kingdom, running over 200 care homes and seven registered hospitals across the country. Barchester are also one of the largest developers of new care homes in the UK.

Julian Burgess of Barchester Healthcare, comments, “Barchester Healthcare are absolutely delighted to be part of this development. We have worked exceptionally hard with Highwood to create a beautifully designed care home and will provide over 60 new jobs taken from the local area too.

“Barchester are also looking forward to becoming part of the immediate retirement and healthcare community, and indeed the wider community in Horndean. Forging community links is something Barchester feels very strongly about. We have opened 15 new homes over the last few years and are on site building 17 new care homes right now and will open 10 more in 2022. This home will be a vital part of our group going forward.”

Works on site are due to commence in October 2021 with the doors set to open in Summer 2023.

Jordan Rundle, Director at Christie & Co, comments, “Demographic analysis identified a significant demand for elderly care home beds in the catchment which is predicted to grow materially by 2029. Highwood Group are bringing forward an outstanding urban extension scheme for the local community and Barchester Healthcare are well positioned to serve the growing requirement for market standard beds in the area.”

Christie & Co were the selling agents and the site was sold at an undisclosed price.
 
 
For further information on this press release, contact:
Phoebe Burrows, Corporate Communications Executive
P: 020 7448 8849 or E: phoebe.burrows@christie.com

Contact the agent:
Jordan Rundle, Director
P: 07711 767 180 or E: jordan.rundle@christie.com