AEM Living — A History.
From the first village opening, to the most recent.
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
New Cobham site acquired
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 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
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
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.
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.
Built on purpose Proven at scale
AEM Living is the UK's foremost developer and operator of retirement communities — two market-leading brands, 23 villages, and four decades of expertise redefining how Britain ages with grace.
Retirement living. Reimagined.
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Est.
1984
United Kingdom
23 Villages
4 Decades
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