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Eddy-and-Jennifer-ShahPursue a healthy active retirement at Wiltshire Leisure Village

Not all retirees want to bin their worldly goods and move into tiny apartments by the sea. In fact there’s a growing market for older people wanting spacious, modern, homes in locations where they can pursue a healthy lifestyle.

Former newspaper tycoon Eddy Shah and his wife Jennifer are hoping to woo active retirees to their Wiltshire Leisure Village near Royal Wootton Bassett.
Shah-Wiltshire-Leisure-Village-4

It’s worth a visit to see the new style of retirement village they have created, with an 18-hole golf course, hotel, and leisure complex.

There are 25 plots available for two-storey houses measuring 2,000 square feet or more which can be bought off-plan, and designed to your own spec.

The timber-frame properties with New England style clapboard exteriors were inspired by the Shahs’ visits to America. Shah_Wiltshire-Leisure-Village

“We saw great developments in America offering lots of leisure activities and golf courses for retirees, and we thought the Americans have a much better time in older age than we do,” said Jennifer, 68.

“Retirement is a phased part of your life,” she adds. “The first is where people want to downsize and use the money they save to live a fuller life, yet still retain their independence whilst having room for friends and family to stay with them.

“The second is where they possibly need more support, and the third, for some people, is when they need someone to look after them.

“Our homes are aimed at those in the first phase. That’s why we’ve built them on a golf course with a swimming pool, leisure centre and restaurants. It’s only minutes from the M4 and Heathrow is just over an hour away.”

[pullquote1 quotes=”true” align=”left” variation=”purple”]We are downsizing on price rather than size[/pullquote1]

The only restrictions to becoming an owner is that you have to be over 55 with one partner retired.

Eddy, 71, launched Britain’s first full-colour national newspaper in the 1980s, then pursued other business interests in the United States before persuading planning officials to accept his ideas for the village in 2000.

“I tell you negotiating with the print unions was a lot easier than dealing with planning officials,” he said. “With the unions you dealt with the problem there and then, with planners you have to wait three weeks for an answer.”

RetShah_Wiltshire-Leisure-Village-3ired owners at the Wiltshire Leisure Village so far include a 70 year old businessman from Cornwall, a former RAF group captain and his American wife and a business consultant in his 60s.

“Most people are from professional backgrounds,” says Francine Watson, associate with Knight Frank, the agents marketing the properties.

 “What they like is the size of the houses because you don’t see retirement schemes which offer larger properties. These buyers may not want to live here all the time at the moment, but plan to eventually.”

You can use the property as your primary home and there are no exit fees when you sell. “I hate exit fees,” says Eddy.

“The only fees are your annual maintenance charges which are £420 a quarter and your golf and leisure membership which we are still negotiating but hoping to reduce from £2,300 a year to about £1,000 for residents.
[pullquote1 quotes=”true” align=”right” variation=”purple”]We are creating a year-round community here and are very flexible to people’s needs[/pullquote1]

“Because of my newspaper and TV background I like the simple life. People get very confused with prices and fees and everything we do here is very straightforward.
“Once you’ve decided on a property you pay one per cent deposit and your home will be ready in 21 weeks.”

“We are downsizing on price rather than size,” adds Eddy, who reckons a four-bedroom home in his village priced at £475,000 would cost well over £600,000 outside. “I’ve built the houses at low cost and I want to pass that saving on to the customer.”

Jennifer-Shah-Wiltshire-LeisureEddy’s wife Jennifer, who is wheelchair bound after cancer treatment caused spinal damage 30 years ago, has made sure all the properties are wheelchair friendly, and have a downstairs bathroom and space for a lift.

Jennifer started renovating houses back in the 1970s. “I even did long boats and barges but then stopped when I got ill,” she said.
She also looks after the interior details such as kitchen white goods and plugs.

“Jennifer is crazy about plugs – you can never have too many,” says Eddie, a keen golfer who can often be found teeing off with owners or catching up on the gossip in the bar. All homes are future proof for TV and wifi and have enough space around them to give you privacy from your neighbour.

Shah-Wiltshire-Leisure2There is 24-hour security and an on-site manager.

“We are creating a year-round community here and are very flexible to people’s needs,” adds Eddy who lives seven miles away with Jennifer and their three dogs.

There are 25 properties for sale priced from £405,000. For more information visit www.knightfrank.co.uk / 0117 317 1999

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