The UK's first ever leasehold retirement estate in Ringmer celebrates its 50th anniversary

Property management company ELM Group celebrated the 50th anniversary yesterday of its very first retirement estate Vicarage Close - a grade II listed building steeped in history and now the home of retired residents in the East Sussex village of Ringmer.

Starting out as the old Flint Vicarage, Vicarage Close made history once again as it became the UK’s first leasehold retirement independent living estate, offering a brand-new concept for people of retirement age who valued owning their own property and saw the benefits of a purpose-built Estate, with on-site support from an Estate Manager.

The revered property was converted by RLHA – which sits under ELM Group - in 1973 along with the construction of three new two-storey buildings offering a total of 15 apartments for sale to retirees looking to enjoy their later years living in a peaceful community of like-minded individuals.

The estate, positioned just off the village green in Ringmer, was granted grade II listed building status in 1979. A much-loved property within the local community, it is faced with knapped flints with long and short stone window surrounds and quoins, a traditional tiled roof, a combination of casement windows and traditional sash windows with intact glazing bars.

The company marked the historic occasion with an on-site garden reception for residents with afternoon tea prepared by local catering business Annabel’s Kitchen and special guest attendance from the Mayor of Lewes Shirley Anne-Sains and Chairman of Ringmer Parish Council Cllr Gordon Sims.

A newly planted Rhododendron was unveiled by the Mayor for the communal garden along with a bronze engraved plaque to commemorate its planting. A hand-painted picture of the estate was also presented by Chief Executive of ELM Group Lorraine Collis.

Dr Pauline Taylor, 97, is one of Vicarage Close’s longest standing residents, who moved into the property in 1986, and she joined in the celebrations on Wednesday alongside residents and their friends and family.

Pauline said: “I had been working in India for many years and eventually returned to be close to my sister and parents in Lewes. In 1986, I moved into Vicarage Close and hadn’t been there a few days before the estate manager at the time handed over two enormous bunches of keys and asked me to take charge whilst he was on holiday. It has always had this warm and welcoming sense of community and so many of us feel proud to live here.”

Delivering a speech on the day, Chief Executive at ELM Group and RHLA, said: “More than a beautiful building that we are proud to have owned and managed for the last 50 years, this property is RLHA’s founding estate and it represents the UK’s very first independent leasehold retirement property.

When it opened in 1973, Vicarage Close brought about the realisation of our vision when we were established in 1971 to transform the sheltered housing sector for people of retirement age by offering the first affordable, purpose-built independent retirement living estate.

It’s an honour to celebrate such a historic milestone with residents and our dedicated Estate Managers and Area Managers of past and present who have helped create the wonderful community of like-minded individuals that so many residents value.”

The development of Vicarage Close represented the beginning of many firsts for RHLA which now has a portfolio of 110 estates across the South of England. In 1976, the company developed a bungalow estate which became the first ever shared-ownership Estate in England. This was pioneering work in developing the Leasehold Schemes for the Elderly (LSE). Then, the introduction of enfranchisement legislation for flat owners in 1993 later led to RLHA being chosen as managing agent by the two very first retirement Estates to enfranchise.

Having built upon their enviable reputation in the independent retirement living sector, RLHA are proud to be one of the South of England’s leading leasehold property management companies.