Retirement Villages Group (RVG) has secured planning permission for a £115m later living community in Tunbridge Wells on a derelict site.
The AXA-backed company has appointed McAleer & Rushe as main contractor on the 210,000 sq ft scheme, which will operate under RVG’s Thrive Living brand.
The 1.5-acre site in the centre of Tunbridge Wells, which was formerly a cinema, will be transformed into a new community of 167 modern retirement homes. The development will also feature a café, restaurant, courtyard garden and almost 10,000 sq ft of retail frontage along Mount Pleasant and Church Roads.
Will Bax, chief executive officer at Retirement Villages Group, said: “We are thrilled to bring Thrive Living to Tunbridge Wells and unlock a brownfield site that has sat derelict in the heart of the town for over 20 years. Thrive Living is a step-change in the way we should think about later life. We intend to challenge the stereotypes of vulnerability, loneliness and dependency and replace them with a new narrative.
“Modern retirement living needs to reflect the attitudes of a new generation of elders, who want to live with purpose and embrace the opportunities of connected and sociable living, creating their own active, urban community in an existing town setting. It’s a pleasure to partner with McAleer & Rushe; we are all excited about the opportunity to revive this space and build a vital, open community in the heart of this great town.”
