When the UK's largest retirement specialist, McCarthy & Stone, commenced construction of its new Ridgeway Court development in Heathfield, little did it know that there was more than one type of resident hoping to move in.
McCarthy & Stone started working on its new Retirement Living development located on Mutton Hall Hill in April this year and soon uncovered two large disused ponds close to the area where the construction was underway.
Not wanting to disturb any fragile eco habitats, McCarthy & Stone contacted independent local ecologist, GreenLink Ecology, for advice on the situation. However, whilst GreenLink discovered that the ponds no longer housed any wild species, it recommended that rebuilding the habitat would almost certainly encourage the wildlife to return.
Sharon Callcut, regional marketing manager from McCarthy & Stone, explained: "As a developer we always have the responsibility of looking after the environments in which we operate, however in this case we realised we had the opportunity to not only protect the ecology of the surrounding area, but actually improve it.
"We are now in the process of rebuilding one smaller new pond a short distance from the originals, which will be safely tucked away from traffic or obstruction, and far easier to maintain. When complete, we sincerely hope that we will have created a real haven for wildlife that will prove to be a place of relaxation for both visitors and residents alike."
Rigdeway Court has been designed exclusively for people over the age of 60 to offer a secure and low maintenance environment, in which an active and independent retirement lifestyle can be enjoyed.
Once open, the development will comprise of 40 one and two bedroom retirement living apartments, each including a number of specialist features including 24 hour emergency call points, electrical sockets at a raised height and energy efficient heating.
See Also: Property News (6701), McCarthy & Stone (408), Ridgeway Court (3), Heathfield (6)
Date Published: 26 July 2011
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