Fareham: Midas starts work on Hampshire retirement village and community hub
A new state of the art retirement village is set to transform a Hampshire green space.
The scheme is being developed by a partnership between Oak Retirement and Frogmore Property. Local mayor, councillor Geoff Fazackerley, and Oak Retirement founder, former health minister, Dr Stephen Ladyman, joined Midas on the site as the team began work on the ambitious multi-million-pound development in Titchfield near Fareham.
The retirement complex, includes a restaurant, café, cinema room and meeting rooms and 86 flats, town houses and bungalows.
The £20 million scheme, designed by architects Marchese Partners, is being constructed alongside the site of a future country park for people of all ages to visit and enjoy. The 39-acre parkland site is being gifted to Fareham Borough Council, by Frogmore and is about the size of 20 football pitches.
Stephen Ladyman, director of Oak Retirement, said: “As the population ages we need top-quality specialist housing for older people to buy, designed to help them maintain their independence. It is also important that there are services provided on-site to support people if and when they find they need extra help. That is what Friary Meadow will offer and why the Council and the local community have supported its development.”
Peter Whitmore, divisional director for Midas Construction, said: “This is a really large and exciting development for Midas and one that will have a hugely positive impact on the whole community. The scheme really mirrors the Midas core aim of investing in and leaving a lasting legacy in the places we live and work. The whole team is looking forward to getting on site next month and helping to transform this area, while protecting local green spaces and offering a central hub for young and old to enjoy.”
Whitmore added that there were some exciting, local, elements for the Midas team to tackle, including reinstating an original right of way path and draining water away from the saturated land and into a couple of nearby lakes.
The whole development is due to take approximately 78 weeks and will include a large workforce of 150 people alongside a core group of apprentices who will benefit from hands-on experience of working on such a large scheme.
