The Oaktree Capital Management-backed development lender Silbury Finance has provided a £66.5 million loan to a joint venture vehicle established by Audley Group and Senior Living Investment Partners, the partnership between Pension Insurance Corporation and Octopus Real Estate.

The 53-month senior facility will fund the acquisition and development of a 112-residence luxury Audley retirement scheme, Headley Court, which will occupy a 23-acre site near Leatherhead, Surrey.

The scheme will comprise 12 two-bedroom apartments within a redeveloped Grade II-listed historic mansion house, along with 100 newly constructed apartments and houses. Due to complete in 2027, the development will have high ESG credentials, with a BREEAM rating of Very Good or above. The site masterplan includes the restoration of the property’s landscaped gardens, which will be open to the public.

Features will include a restaurant, owners’ lounge, inside and outside terrace seating areas and back-of-house and operational office space housed within the mansion house. Property owners will be entitled to use the Audley Club, a pool, sauna and steam room, gym and fitness studio and changing rooms.

The transaction is the fifth between Silbury and Octopus Real Estate in the retirement sector. 

Gavin Eustace, chief executive of Silbury Finance, commented: “We continue to further our exposure to the nascent but high growth retirement living sector, focusing on sustainable schemes in areas with supportive local demographics, alongside our institutional partners, having now provided Octopus with circa £270 million, and Audley £175 million, of senior finance. Despite the wider market uncertainty, the UK living sector’s fundamentals remain highly compelling. Our track record and knowledge, coupled with the backing of a global investor with a strong real estate conviction, provides a differentiated platform as we look to accelerate our deployment in 2024, including writing larger ticket loans, whilst remaining highly disciplined in our underwriting.”

Domas Karsokas, investment director at Octopus Real Estate, commented: “We are pleased to be moving forward with the development of what will be a fantastic retirement community in a prime location where we know demand levels are high. Audley, PIC and Silbury all share our core ESG values here at Octopus and recognise the acute need to develop retirement communities at pace in the UK. The structure and terms of the debt are well suited to a development project and will support returns to our institutional investors.”

Nick Sanderson, founder and chief executive at Audley Group, added: “The demand for retirement villages is only growing. Octopus and PIC have recognised the opportunity in the retirement space, and we’re delighted to be progressing this new market-leading integrated retirement community alongside SLIP and Silbury.”