McCarthy Stone submit plans to turn the former Lytham St Annes Sixth Form College into a retirement village

Back in January, one of the UK’s leading retirement property developers McCarthy Stone announced their plans to turn the former site of Lytham Sixth Form College on Albany Road, Ansdell, into a retirement village, launching a public consultation to scope neighbour’s reaction.

Now, using feedback from this consulation, a full application has been submitted by McCarthy Stone to Fylde Council for the “demolition of existing buildings and redevelopment of site for retirement living housing (use class c3) comprising 42 apartments and 17 bungalows with associated communal facilities, landscaping and car parking”.

Lytham Sixth Form College, part of Blackpool and the Fylde College, opened in 2015 but closed only four years later due to ‘limited’ demand.

McCarthy Stone say they hope to redevelop the brownfield site to provide "high-quality retirement living accommodation, specifically designed to meet the need of people in later life".

The scheme will deliver 42 Retirement Living apartments (26 being one-bedroom and 16 two-bed), featuring a homeowners’ lounge, set amongst attractive, landscaped gardens with on-site parking provision, as well as a guest suite, lift access to all floors, and a mobility scooter charging and storage room.

The plans will also include 17 two-bedroom Retirement Living bungalows with parking and private gardens.

The site currently has 78 car spaces, but this will be reduced to 48, and there will be one full time staff member.

Ciaran Aldridge, Divisional Managing Director North, McCarthy Stone, said:“There is a real need for specialist retirement accommodation in Ansdell, and this proposal would go some way to addressing that, whilst at the same time releasing existing family homes onto the market and relieving the pressure on local greenfield sites.

“Located close to the town centre, McCarthy Stone residents provide a vital boost to local businesses, typically using local shops and services daily, or often.

“Research shows that residents of a typical 59-home McCarthy Stone development would collectively spend £454,000 a year on the local high street. This spending would support local retail jobs and help to keep businesses open in Ansdell.”

According to McCarthy Stone, the Fylde Coast Strategic Housing Market Assessment states that 52% of households aged over 65 are under-occupying their property and as such there is a need to ‘free up’ existing family housing by facilitating the availability of suitable, accessible dwellings that align with the evolving aspirations of the expanding older demographic.

Independent research by WPI Economics determined that every McCarthy Stone apartment sold generates at least two moves further down the housing chain meaning a 59-home community in Ansdell would likely free up at least 118 homes for local people at differing stages of the housing ladder.

Typically, most residents move to a McCarthy Stone retirement development from within a 5-mile radius, often leaving larger family homes that are no longer suitable for their needs.

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Ciaran Aldridge added: “As recognised in the Strategic Housing Market Assessment, there is a real need for specialist retirement accommodation in Ansdell. We look forward to working closely with Fylde Council to progress these proposals and to address this local need.

“Additionally, our plans for Ansdell provide a valuable opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of local older people, whist also supporting significant cost savings to the NHS and local social care services.”

Anyone requiring further information is invited to visit the project’s website, http://www.mccarthystoneconsultation.co.uk/ansdell, or contact the project’s freephone information line on 0800 298 7040.