Chester's young people made history this week as they buried a special time capsule containing their ideas for the city’s future. The special ceremony was to celebrate work getting under way on Retirement Village’s pioneering new integrated retirement community in Boughton Heath, Chester – part of the new Thrive Living Collection launched last month. Pupils from the nearby Christleton Primary School and Boughton Heath Academy marked the milestone and gathered to lower the tightly-sealed capsule into the soil. It will safely store their poems, pictures and letters containing their predictions on what an environmentally-friendly future looks like for the city – with the capsule set to be opened in 2050 to coincide with the UK’s target to reach net zero emissions.
The moment was a poignant way to mark the start of construction of the retirement community, which will be whole of life net zero carbon. The new community – being built on the disused former Beechmoor Garden Centre on Whitchurch Road – will feature 155 apartments across six villas, alongside a range of amenities including a restaurant, café and wellness area open topeople from the surrounding area as well as residents.
The school children were joined by local community representatives, special guest Cllr Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning & Climate Emergency at Cheshire West and
Chester Council, and the construction team from main contractor Elliott Group.
Speaking at the ceremony, Will Bax, Chief Executive Officer at Retirement Villages Group, said:
We’re incredibly excited to have broken ground on building our newest community in Chester. It’s clear that we are not alone in wanting more positive life choices for older people. We’ve been delighted by the high level of local interest and engagement. It’s clear this is as an extension to the city, and we’ve shaped our proposals with facilities and amenities that respond to the community needs.
Today was about bringing the community together to mark a major milestone. But also make sure what we build is relevant to younger generations. We loved hearing the views of the talented pupils of our two local schools on the importance of sustainability and how we can all make the changes we need to deliver a healthy planet. The fact that their grandparents will have the chance to support this future by moving into this net zero carbon community was an interesting talking point.
Set to open in late 2024, the Chester community is part of Retirement Villages’ Thrive Living collection, a new approach to urban and integrated retirement communities which is designed to promote active, independent lifestyles.
The new community will deliver a £39m boost to the local economy, creating more than 300 jobs through the construction process. It will also increase spending in the local area by £1.5 million every year and create 30 full time jobs. Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning & Climate Emergency said:
If we’re going to address the climate crisis, we need to get the younger generations fired up about a greener future and the difference that they can personally make. What better way than bringing them to a working construction site that is already helping raise the bar when it comes to sustainable development in Chester.
Guests gathering on site heard how the community will become an exemplar of sustainability as a whole of life net zero carbon development. Through high performance construction materials, efficient heating and hot water generation via air source heat pump technology, renewable energy generation on site as well as offsetting carbon emissions, the buildings will achieve net zero carbon emissions when in use. A sustainable transport hub will provide cycle hire and electric vehicle charging points.
Mr Mitchell, Headteacher at Christleton Primary School, said:
This project is particularly poignant as we are all so aware of the devastation that is being wreaked upon our planet. It was wonderful to hear the measures that Retirement Villages have taken to highlight the net zero credentials of the development. Our children are very aware of the concerns we all have and it was a wonderful opportunity for them to share their hopes for a more sustainable future.
It was also great to see Retirement Villages take this opportunity to engage with our community and although this is a retirement living project, it touches across all generations. Being able to add items to the time capsule will be core memory for the children who attended. Thank you to the team who made our children feel so welcome and valued at the event.
Jon Lenton, Principal at Boughton Heath Academy, said:
We are excited to engage with Retirement Villages Group and Elliot Group during their construction of the Retirement Village. Children’s understanding of the community they live in is crucial for them to become responsible citizens and forming a partnership with this building project will enable this. The children have enjoyed taking part in an Easter colouring competition and were delighted to take part in the time capsule event contributing work on sustainability.
Retirement Villages Group has been developing and managing purpose built, retirement communities for nearly 40 years with 16 villages across the UK. Retirement Villages is looking to invest in the development of 40 Thrive Living integrated retirement communities across the UK in the next decade, creating 5,000 new homes, with an end value of £2 billion.