City centre locations becoming more popular with retirees, says Higgins Homes

Essex-based housebuilder Higgins Homes reports that it is seeing an increasing number of retirees opting to find a property for their retirement in a town centre location, rather than the coastal or rural settings that have traditionally been associated with older homebuyers.

Jeremy Marcus, Sales & Marketing Director, Higgins Homes, says: "Higgins Homes has recognised that an increasing number of people are attracted to the convenience of town centres when they downsize."

Among the town-centre developments of new homes in Essex, Kent, London and Hertfordshire that the company is currently offering is The Old Hospital in Maidstone. The development comprises four blocks of contemporary one- and two-bedroom apartments on the site of the former Ophthalmic and Aural Hospital, within easy reach of the heart of the town's main shopping streets and the rail station. Prices start at £137,500 for the smaller properties and at £154,950 for the larger layouts. The marketing suite is open from 10.00am to 5.00pm, Thursday to Monday.

Jeremy continues: "The interior specifications at The Old Hospital are exceptionally high and filled with a range of contemporary fittings, ensuring that homes here are very low maintenance and inexpensive to heat. Another popular feature is the development's environmental credentials. Heating is provided by an economical and ecologically friendly air-driven heat exchange system, which is one of the reasons why The Old Hospital received a ‘Very Good' rating under Code 3 of The Code for Sustainable Homes."

One retiree who made the move to one of these environmentally friendly new homes in Maidstone is John Allen. Soon after he retired, he and his wife moved to Spain to enjoy a sun-soaked life on the costas, but they moved back to Kent when they began to miss friends and family. When John's wife died, he saw the opportunity to move to a manageable property with low running costs and almost no maintenance.

Mr Allen says: "I wanted to live amongst the buzz of a town centre and so The Old Hospital was an obvious choice for me. I'm never lonely as I have friendly neighbours, I can walk across the road to see my friends in the pub and the shops are also a short walk away. My locality to everything is a privilege. I also have a private parking space on site and while I don't have to drive anywhere in town, I can pop out to see my daughters and grandchildren regularly. It also helps when I get roped in to babysitting! If I decide that I don't want the hassle of owning and running my own vehicle in the future however, Higgins Homes also offers a Zipcar scheme. Life just seems sorted!"

The contemporary apartments at The Old Hospital in Maidstone have a modern and environmentally friendly specification and great town centre location, making them perfect for older buyers looking for a manageable-sized new home close to useful amenities