How will the country's builders deal with the prospect of an ageing population?

Janet Burnell, of Kent-based Pentland Homes has a plan.

It has been widely reported that the age of the UK's population is rising; it is estimated that there are approximately 12,000 people living in the country who are over 100, but the Office for National Statistics (ONS) predicts that in 40 years' time, this number will have increased to around 345,000.

Considering our current housing shortage, this is likely to have a big impact on the housing market.

The ONS also estimates that by 2051, the UK's population will have increased by around 16.3 million people. Not only will this make it harder for first-time buyers to step on to the property ladder but also it raises concerns over how we will care for our elderly.

The UK has recently seen a new breed of luxury retirement villages being built, which provide a vast range of amenities.

Trading down from the family home and buying in a retirement village can have numerous advantages; often, like-minded people will live in retirement villages and there are usually facilities to ensure that elderly people can stay as socially, physically and intellectually active as they like.

For example, many villages offer classes such as pilates or computer courses. Also, properties and gardens in retirement villages are usually very well kept, which means that residents need not worry about maintenance.

Retirement villages are usually popular with the relatives of elderly people too, as they can rest assured that their loved ones are safe and have a warden on call in case of an emergency.

At Pentland Homes, we are in the process of applying for planning permission for a retirement scheme in Hawkinge, near Folkestone, and we hope to begin building within the next two years.

I think that building retirement villages is a good way to ease the ever increasing demand for housing, while making sure that our elderly are suitably catered for and expect that we will see more of this type of housing in future.

For information on Pentland Homes' developments, contact the sales office on 01303 893080 or visit the website www.pentlandhomes.co.uk