Prime Minister Theresa May has visited Swift House, McCarthy and Stone’s new Retirement Living Plus development in Maidenhead.
After taking a tour of the development and stopping to chat to homeowners as they enjoyed lunch in Swift House’s on-site Bistro, Mrs May commended its support staff for their hard work and dedication to improving the lives of older people.
Mrs May went on to meet McCarthy and Stone’s Chief Executive Officer, Clive Fenton, and Regional Managing Director, Brendon O’Neill, to discuss the success of the new development which is already more than 50% sold, as well as the company’s broader commitment to building more specialist retirement housing, and how it can help to address the social care and housing crises.
Mrs May commented: “Swift House provides an excellent option for those in retirement to downsize and benefit from a supportive environment while maintaining their independence. And it’s clear its staff work very hard to make Swift House a safe and welcoming place to live.
Clive Fenton, Chief Executive Officer at McCarthy and Stone, said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome the Prime Minister to our Swift House development in Maidenhead. I’d like to personally thank her for her time, and for speaking so highly of the work that has been carried out here.
“Increasing the supply of retirement housing is vital to meeting the demands of our increasingly ageing society, while raising housing output and diversifying the market. It also frees up the wider housing chain through a trickle down effect: each person moving into a retirement apartment typically frees up a minimum of two further moves on the ladder which could be for a family or a young couple buying their first home. The benefits are wide reaching, particularly where it can reduce adult social care bills by keeping people happier, healthier and independent for longer, taking some of the strain away from the NHS and the public purse.”
