For Clive and Carol Chase, planning for the future is about ensuring they can continue to enjoy life on their own terms, with the confidence that support, community and exceptional amenities are there whenever they need them.
The couple, who have lived in the same home in Surrey since the early 1990s, purchased a two-bedroom apartment at nearby Botanical Place in West Byfleet earlier this year after watching the development take shape from nearby.
Planning Ahead, Living Well
While many residents move into Botanical Place as their primary home, Clive and Carol saw an opportunity to secure a future-proof lifestyle within a community they immediately connected with.
"When we first walked through the doors, we knew straight away," says Clive. "We looked around and said, 'Right, we want this one.' It was the apartment we felt was perfect for us."
Located on the fifth floor, their apartment offers sweeping views and a sense of space, but it was the wider development that truly won them over.
"We're completely enamoured with Botanical Place," Clive explains. "The construction and quality of the building are excellent, but more importantly it's the people. The staff are wonderful and genuinely couldn't be more helpful. Everyone is friendly, welcoming and willing to do whatever they can to make life easier."
Choosing Confidence for the Years Ahead
Now aged 81, Clive – a successful entrepreneur, composer and musician who performed alongside some of the biggest names of the 1960s music scene and continues to record music today – says Botanical Place provides reassurance for both him and his wife Carol, 71. Carol enjoyed a varied career as a nurse, including time as a specialist aeromedical nurse working around the world. Having experienced some health challenges in recent years, the couple wanted the peace of mind that comes with knowing support is available should they ever need it.
While the pair still spend most of their time in their long-term family home, they plan to move when the time is right.
"We've been in our current house for more than 30 years and had great memories here with our children who are now grown up” he says. "But as you get older you naturally start thinking ahead. Botanical Place gives us confidence that support is available if we ever need it and that we can continue living independently for as long as possible."
Enjoying Life on Their Own Terms
That blend of independence and support is one of the development's defining features. Residents are free to come and go as they please with a ‘lock up and leave’ lifestyle while enjoying access to a range of facilities, activities and hospitality services designed to make everyday life easier and more enjoyable.
For Clive and Carol, who have travelled extensively throughout their lives, the atmosphere immediately felt familiar.
"We've often said Botanical Place is like a cruise ship without the water," he laughs. "You've got the restaurant, the social spaces, the cinema room and all the different areas where people can spend time together. Everything is there under one roof."
Having spent many years enjoying extended cruises around the world, Clive and Carol recognise the appeal of a community where social opportunities, convenience and high-quality facilities are woven into everyday life.
Connected to the Community They Love
Botanical Place's location was another important factor. Remaining close to familiar surroundings, friends and local amenities meant they could enjoy the benefits of a retirement community without sacrificing their existing connections.
"Botanical Place allows us to stay connected to the area we know and love while giving us options for the future."
The couple's decision reflects a growing trend among older homeowners who are choosing to plan ahead rather than waiting until circumstances force a move. By securing a home within a retirement community while they are still active and independent, residents can settle into a new lifestyle at their own pace and begin enjoying the amenities immediately.
With Carol and Clive both leading fulfilling lifestyles, their enthusiasm for life mirrors what attracted them to Botanical Place in the first place: a community focused not simply on ageing well, but on continuing to live well.
"It's a truly wonderful place," says Clive. "We couldn't be happier with our decision."
