Timeline

1983

Beaumont Healthcare is first established, founded by Nick Sanderson and Dr Andrew MacDonald

1984–1987

Beaumont opens the UK’s first private sector, purpose-built care home

Beaumont opens 12 care homes and gains a reputation for award-winning communities and quality of accommodation and service

1988–1990

Pioneering independent living for older people, Beaumont launches Close Care, houses for sale adjacent to its care communities allowing independent living with care and hotel services

Beaumont opens seven Close Care projects

1990

Beaumont acquired by PPP (Private Patients Plan), a health insurer, now part of the AXA Group

1991

Audley Villages founded by Nick Sanderson to develop the concept of luxury retirement homes with care services, in partnership with the care sector

1991–1998

Audley develops 30 independent living sites in partnership with housing associations and local authorities

1999

Audley opens the UK’s first luxury retirement village, Audley Willicombe Park in Royal Tunbridge Wells

First ever Audley Villages opening Audley Willicombe Park Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent Set in four acres of gardens in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Audley Willicombe Park retirement village has 67 penthouses, apartments and cottages. At the heart of the village is Willicombe House, a refurbished Victorian villa.

It wins a prestigious Best Retirement Property award as well as conservation awards for the refurbishment of the Victorian mansion at the centre of the scheme

2000

Open Hollins Hall in Harrogate, now a thriving community.

2004–2008

Acquire five sites for new Audley retirement villages, including the operation of Flete House in Devon*

2008

Recognised as one of the UK’s primary innovators of retirement villages

Receive backing from major financial organisation, the Moorfield Group

Audley push ahead with building new sites across the country

2013

Audley Inglewood Kintbury, Berkshire Nestled in 39 acres, one mile from Kintbury in Berkshire, Audley Inglewood retirement village is home to 91 apartments and cottages. At its centre is Inglewood House, an imposing manor house that has been rebuilt and returned to its former glory.

Audley St Elphin’s Park Darley Dale, Peak District St Elphin’s Park retirement village is set in 14 acres in the Derbyshire Dales, close to Matlock and Bakewell. With 131 properties and a restored Victorian Gothic school at its centre, the village enjoys spectacular views.

Begins construction on Audley Chalfont Dene, Buckinghamshire

Elysian Residences company founded and official incorporated in London, by CEO Gavin Stein

2014

Audley Binswood Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire Audley Binswood retirement village is situated in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa. 115 retirement properties are centred around the striking Binswood Hall, an imposing Grade II* listed Victorian Gothic mansion.

2015

Begins construction on Audley Redwood in Bristol and Audley Ellerslie in Malvern

Construction of further property phases at existing villages continues alongside new sites

Audley Villages is acquired for £158 million by a newly created Fund called Moorfield Audley Real Estate Fund. The Fund was created especially for the purpose of buying Audley Villages and is backed by many who were previously investors through the Moorfield Fund which owned Audley. The intention is to create a structure with a longer life to allow Audley to continue to grow in a more secure and long term ownership arrangement

The modern holding entity, Audley Group Limited, was incorporated in the UK

2016

Launches sister brand Mayfield Villages to meet the modern retirement living gap. Mayfield Villages offers a similar product to Audley’s luxury retirement villages, but at a lower price point

Audley Chalfont Dene Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire Audley Chalfont Dene, Buckinghamshire’s luxury retirement village, is home to 142 luxury retirement apartments and cottages.

Acquire three new sites for retirement villages, subject to planning

2017

Audley St George’s Place Edgbaston, Birmingham In the heart of leafy Edgbaston, St George’s Place retirement village is moments from Birmingham. Two Grade II listed Regency villas, a restored Victorian building and new buildings house 95 luxury cottages and apartments.

Audley Cooper’s Hill in Englefield Green and Audley Ellerslie in Malvern start selling properties off plan

2018

Audley Redwood Failand, North Somerset Open Audley Redwood near Bristol.

New Cobham site acquired

Audley Ellerslie Malvern, Worcestershire Open Audley Ellerslie in Malvern.

Construction starts on Audley Stanbridge Earls in Romsey

The first London village, Audley Nightingale Place in Clapham, starts selling off plan

2019

Construction starts at Nightingale Place in Clapham

Mayfield Watford starts selling properties off plan

Completion of Audley Chalfont Dene Phase 3

Audley Cooper’s Hill Englefield Green, Surrey Open Audley Cooper’s Hill in Englefield Green, Surrey.

Audley Stanbridge Earls Romsey, Hampshire Open Audley Stanbridge Earls in Romsey.

Audley announces plans for its first carbon neutral development as part of a new phase at Inglewood, Berkshire

Joint venture established to deliver four new retirement villages

Planning secured at Cobham, Scarcroft Park and Sunningdale Park sites

2020

Ground-breaking at Mayfield Watford, the first site for the Mayfield Villages brand

Audley Nightingale Place Clapham, London Open Audley Nightingale Place in Clapham, London.

2021

A £500 million joint venture with BlackRock Real Assets is set up, aiming to fund the development of three new retirement villages

Audley Wycliffe Park in Buckinghamshire starts selling off plan

ARCO introduces the sector-wide term ‘Integrated Retirement Communities’ (IRCs) to help distinguish the sector from residential care homes and legacy retirement housing

2022

First ever Mayfield Villages opening Mayfield Watford Watford, Hertfordshire Open Mayfield Watford, the first Mayfield village.

Audley Sunningdale Park starts selling off plan

Exchange on Audley Lingfield Grange site

Exchange on Audley Headley Court site

Audley Scarcroft Park starts selling off plan

First ever Elysian Residences opening Wildernesse House Sevenoaks, Kent Wildernesse House, the first retirement village by Elysian Residences, opens in Sevenoaks.

2023

Audley Fairmile Cobham, Surrey Audley Fairmile in Cobham opens exclusively to homeowners.

Two new Audley Villages planned in multi-site joint venture with Octopus and PIC

Audley Wycliffe Park Horsleys Green, Buckinghamshire Audley Wycliffe Park opens in Horsley’s Green, Buckinghamshire.

Audley Scarcroft Park Scarcroft, West Yorkshire Audley Scarcroft Park opens in Leeds, Yorkshire.

2024

Construction commences at Audley Headley Court near Leatherhead

Headley Court hosts commemorative D-Day event

Audley Sunningdale Park Sunningdale, Berkshire Set in the village of Sunningdale, close to Ascot in Berkshire, historic Sunningdale Park spans 79 acres of gardens, lakes and extensive natural woodland.

The Denton Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire A contemporary retirement community off Shootersway in the market town of Berkhamsted, close to the Chilterns AONB, launched May 2024.

The Beckett Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent Elysian’s second Kent development on St John’s Road in Royal Tunbridge Wells, blending contemporary design with the elegance of the historic spa town.

Audley Shiplake Meadows Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire Sixty-five new homes comprising two- and three-bedroom apartments, duplex penthouses, and cottages, set amongst landscaped communal gardens and grounds.

2025

Launches Audley Shiplake Meadows in January, with the village officially opened by Dame Mary Berry in October

Audley Group raises £40 million in innovative sale and leaseback with institutional investors

Audley completes on new site in Lingfield, Surrey

Audley Group and SLIP are granted planning permission for the second Mayfield retirement village in Brent Cross

The Oren Hampstead, London A premium retirement residence in the heart of Hampstead, one of London’s most desirable addresses, offering luxury apartments with outstanding amenities.

Audley Group and Elysian Residences announce a merger to create the sector leading retirement village provider. The new Group has been created to bring together the best practice of two market leading companies, making it the largest retirement village provider in the UK, with more than 30 villages and 3000 individual properties

AEM Living Group is announced as the new Group name comprising the 3 trusted and established IRC brands Audley Villages, Elysian Residences, Mayfield Villages

2026

The Oakleigh St Albans, Hertfordshire Set within thirteen acres of natural woodland close to the historic city of St Albans, The Oakleigh offers architecturally designed apartments and cottages.

2027

The Watermark Kew, Surrey A new Elysian retirement residence planned to open in the prestigious village of Kew, close to the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Thames.

The Bower Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire Forthcoming Elysian development in the sought-after Oxfordshire riverside town of Henley-on-Thames.

The history of AEM Living Group

The AEM Living Timeline