A new £21 million care-focused retirement village has officially opened in Herne Bay, Kent, marking a major investment in later-life living for the local community.

The development was formally opened by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Councillor Keji Moses, and Lady Mayoress Carol Reed, who visited the site to commemorate the completion of the project. During the visit, they cut a green ribbon to declare the village officially open and ready to welcome its first residents.

Located on Canterbury Road, the multi-million-pound scheme has been designed, developed and delivered by the McGoff Group, a £150 million collective of construction-related businesses specialising in design, build, facilities management and operations. The Group includes McGoff Construction, Dunham Care and Villafont Homes.

The retirement village combines 50 retirement bungalows with a 67-bed care home, creating a comprehensive rest-of-life solution for older residents who wish to remain in Herne Bay as their care needs change.

The care home, Herne Bay Manor, will provide residential, nursing, dementia and respite care services and is operated by Dunham Care. Managed by experienced home manager Trisha King, the facility includes en-suite bedrooms, elegant lounges and dining rooms, spa-assisted bathrooms, a beauty salon, landscaped grounds and an outdoor terrace on the first floor designed for residents and visiting families.

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Alongside the care home is Herne Bay Gardens, a collection of one- and two-bedroom retirement bungalows developed by Villafont. The bungalows are aimed at over-60s seeking independent living within a supportive community, with the option to access additional help if required.

More than 20 per cent of the bungalows have already been reserved, and Herne Bay Manor is preparing to welcome its first residents. The development team says it is looking forward to supporting new occupants as the community begins to establish itself.

During their visit, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress were joined by representatives from the McGoff Group for a tour of both developments and an opportunity to meet residents.

Lord Mayor Cllr Moses commented: "We are delighted to be here today to celebrate the completion of this beautiful new development that will support and enhance life for older individuals in our Herne Bay community.

"I have been impressed with the design and incredibly high standards of the care home, and also the superb quality and lifestyle concept of the bungalows. It has been great to view the whole development and meet the talented teams involved. I wish each of the new residents all the very best in their new homes. I am confident that they will be very happy here."

Chairman of the McGoff Group, Dave McGoff, added: "We are grateful to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress for joining today and officially opening the development. As more residents move into their new homes, we are looking forward to seeing the new community come to life providing a good lifestyle, comfort and care for local individuals wishing to remain in this highly desirable part of Kent."

Designed, developed and delivered by the McGoff Group, Herne Bay Manor and Herne Bay Gardens aim to set new standards in later-life living, offering an enhanced lifestyle focused on health, wellbeing and social connection.