14 CASE STUDY State of independence
London’s first luxury retirement community offers retirees independent living alongside hotel-inspired amenities, all within sight of Battersea’s Albert Bridge. Lara Haddock of Battersea Place walks Jack Wooler around the development.
“Battersea Place was built to be fully
accessible in every sense,” she says as we head out of the reception. “The development is designed to fill
the gap between independent and assisted living; the challenge was how to sensitively integrate a high-end London residence with onsite amenities and a discreet, state-of-art care capability.”
BUILT-IN COMMUNITY Leading me into the central hub of the development, Lara begins by giving a tour of the building and its various amenities. This hub bridges the lounge, library
J
ust across the road from Battersea Park, within sight of Albert Bridge, the capital’s first luxury retirement
community hosts 103 one, two and three- bedroom luxury apartments and penthouses, as well as a wide range of onsite amenities and services, and 24- hour care. Approaching from the outside, the
exterior brickwork complements the red brick Victorian houses and mansion flats which characterise Battersea, while floor- to-ceiling windows reflect the parkland opposite and facilitate long and interest- ing sight-lines for residents. The new building is orientated to maximise views outdoors and bring daylight in. When I first walk into the reception to
“EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO LANDSCAPE THE AREA TO CREATE A SANCTUARY WHERE RESIDENTS CAN RELAX, AND PROVIDE A FOCAL POINT AT THE DEVELOPMENT’S CORE” – LARA HADDOCK, BATTERSEA PLACE
WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK
meet Lara Haddock, head of sales at Battersea Place (which is developed and run by LifeCare Residences) I am immedi- ately presented with one of the many advantages of retirement living. Attending the front desk, which if I didn’t know better could have been that of any upmarket hotel, I am just behind a resident who sadly was to attend a funeral that afternoon. The ease and speed at which the staff
organise his travel arrangements is certainly impressive – they book him a car immediately, and make sure he’s got his return journey sorted, checking that his family are on hand at the other end. Soon after, Lara arrives to greet me,
explaining that such a level of service is just one of many benefits of this style of retirement living.
and meeting areas, and connects the two residential wings on either side. “All communal facilities are on the
ground floor,” says Lara, “enabling both easy accessibility and fostering relations between the residents.” She continues: “When residents enter
the building, they walk past the lounge which encourages them to stop and converse with friends and neighbours; the lounge also opens onto a courtyard garden, creating a social environment for every season.” We take a moment here to look
through the open glazing of the lounge through to the central courtyard – in which “every effort was made to landscape the area to create a sanctuary where residents can relax, and provide a focal point at the development’s core.” Lara now leads me back to the corri-
dor, and to the nearby bar and restaurant – which, as the reception, could be mistaken for that of any upmarket hotel’s – illuminated with green directional lighting that reduces any sense of harsh- ness, and produces a certain ambience in the space. A glance at the ‘a la carte’ menu
reveals many tempting options such as roast guinea fowl or pan fried sea bass. Continuing, we view complementary
communal facilities located close by. The onsite cinema is one such impressive example, enabling residents to enjoy refreshments while participating in other activities such as enjoying movies or the opera, or perhaps enjoying a game in the billiards room.
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