Groundbreaking construction techniques are slashing build times and transforming the delivery of retirement housing – offering a potential solution to the UK’s critical shortage of later living accommodation.
With the country facing a shortfall of one million senior living homes by 2040, the race is on to develop innovative approaches that can deliver high-quality housing for older people more rapidly and cost-effectively.
Leading this charge in the Midlands is construction specialist McPhillips. The award-winning company has partnered with developer-operator Untold Living to pioneer an innovative £20 million Integrated Retirement Community (IRC) in Shropshire – a county where pensioners are expected to make up more than a quarter of Shropshire’s residents by 2026.
Here, factory-built components and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are dramatically accelerating construction timelines.
The project will create much-needed flexible and supportive living for retirees in the form of 61 apartments, 15 bungalows, on-site bistro and integrated care facilities.
Paul Inions, managing director of McPhillips, said: “Construction on-site at Newport is being driven by modern, factory-led approaches to reduce costs, speed-up timelines and minimise disruption to nearby residents.
“This type of approach must become commonplace if we are to stand a chance at resolving the growing demand for older living accommodation and meet the seniors housing target of 50,000 units a year.
“Currently, as a nation we are falling woefully short of this target and demand is only going to get higher with people live longer and longer.”
Use of MMC at Newport means the large, steel supporting structures for the main apartment blocks will arrive pre-manufactured complete with windows, insulation and brick ties.
Further innovation is planned for the site’s bungalows, with roofs to be built at ground level before being craned into position. This technique not only speeds up the construction process but significantly improves site health and safety.
Paul added: “The apartment panels are due to arrive on-site later this month (July) from our subcontractor Remagin based in Leeds.
“Once here, the panels will be craned into position and the main apartment block structures will be erected in just 12 weeks – 40 per cent faster than if we were using traditional methods but with no sacrifice on quality.
“This approach is a gamechanger for the senior living housing sector and we are proud to be demonstrating our commitment.
“We’re not only helping to meet the rising demand for retiree housing, but we are also helping to address the wider housing needs in the Newport area by freeing up larger homes for younger families.
“It’s a model that could certainly be replicated across more towns in the UK.”
The government recently announced £39 billion for new social and affordable housing and the Housing Minister recently noted that the “need to provide sufficient housing to meet older people’s specific needs is critical.”
ARCO, the national membership body for housing-with-care, believes at least 20 per cent of this new investment should be reserved for specialist housing for older people and in particular Integrated Retirement Communities like the one being developed in Newport.
Work on the Newport retirement community started in October 2024 and is due for completion in summer 2026.
The innovative scheme has been designed by Gaunt Francis Architects and the project is being managed by Total Project Integration.
Architectural and technical designer Michael Carruthers said whilst MMC required more upfront design work, the payoff was significant with much faster on-site construction.
“The approach we’ve taken at Newport combines the precision of factory-made components with local construction expertise, allowing us to create high-quality homes that are specifically designed for older residents while minimising disruption to the surrounding community.”
Stephen Brunker, associate director for Gaunt Francis, who is also working on the scheme with Michael, added that the benefits of retirement communities extended far beyond just housing.
“The evidence shows that residents in these communities see their GPs less often, require fewer hospital visits, and recover more quickly when returning from hospital.
“This development will help reduce the burden on local health services while providing purposeful accommodation where residents can maintain their independence with support available when needed.”
Once handed over to Untold Living in summer 2026, the retirement village will be named Sundew Court.
It will provide much-needed flexible and supportive living for older residents, giving retirees the opportunity to ‘right-size’ into quality homes without leaving the local area.
Amy Herbert, director of operations at Untold Living, said: “There’s a pressing need nationally for high-quality, smaller housing options for retirees and our Newport development demonstrates our commitment to helping to resolve this shortage.
“This development will enable older residents to remain within their cherished community whilst enjoying more manageable and supportive living environments.
“Here retirees can live independently but with the reassurance of 24-hour on-site care staff should it be needed.”
For more progress updates on the development visit: –
Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
