The main building at Royal Haslar
Royal Haslar was once a convalescent home for sick or wounded Royal Navy sailors. Now, under the auspices of the Queen’s first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, chairman of Haslar Developments, the spectacular Grade II-listed building on the Solent is at the centre of a 62-acre, £200 million waterside village.Royal Haslar will provide over 550 converted and newly built one, two and three-bedroom homes. There will also be shops and leisure facilities, including a new museum.
The main building was the largest hospital in 18th century Europe. Famous royal visitors included Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
It was decommissioned in 2007, and the first phase of the new residential village was unveiled in 2021. The main phase two launch this summer will see the unveiling of Trinity House, 146 large one and two-bedroom apartments.
Some of these will also cater for senior living.
An on-site medical centre will provide residents with a range of care amenities, including treatment rooms and health awareness facilities. For more senior residents, the assisted living and independent-living retirement apartments will offer a range of additional options, including on-call health and telehealthcare technology support.
The museum will be officially opened by His Majesty King Charles, who already knows the development well.
This site combines Parker Bowles’s interests in horticulture and history. There are many mature trees at Royal Haslar, some of which were planted from seeds brought back from expeditions by the naturalist Charles Darwin.
The village is a short distance from Gosport town centre. Shops there include Waitrose, a Tesco superstore and Marks & Spencer. Portsmouth is 30 minutes away by car or five minutes by ferry.
Senior living and independent-living apartments at Royal Haslar are currently available at Canada House, priced at £265,000 for a one-bedroom and £390,000 for two-bedroom homes.
At Trinity House, one-bedroom apartments will be priced from £220,000 and from £320,000 for a two-bedroom home.
◆ royalhaslar.com
You don’t have to buy
The developer My Future Living says more people are opting to rent rather than buy retirement properties because of the many benefits. Unlike in the private rented sector most homes come with assured lifetime tenancies, so you won’t need to move again.
Other benefits at its developments include a 24-hour emergency call system in each apartment and an on-site manager who looks after the building. With around 2,000 homes to choose from in the UK, My Future Living offers an unrivalled choice.
Margaret James, 78, loves her one-bedroom rental property at the Charles Dickens Court retirement development in Portsmouth.
Originally from Glasgow, Margaret has lived most of her life in the city. She moved into Charles Dickens Court (the author was born in the city) when she was 46 – her husband Mervin was 60, so they met the conditions for the retirement development. After Mervin died, she decided to stay on.
‘I knew I was never going to leave as it offers me everything,’ she says. ‘It is a safe building with only 25 flats, and its central location means I can walk to the local shops. There is a real community here. Also, with the 24-hour emergency system there is constant peace of mind that help is there at any time.’
◆ myfutureliving.co.uk
