From York Unlocked to 120 Heritage Homes

by | Sep 1, 2025 | Blog, Community, Current Developments, Featured, New Properties, News & Events, P J Livesey News

01

September, 2025

Opening the doors to The Retreat, York

In August we welcomed more than 850 visitors as part of the city-wide York Unlocked heritage event

For the first time in its long history, the public were able to explore this extraordinary site – a place that has overlooked the city for more than two centuries. With 37 acres of landscaped grounds, a peaceful atmosphere, and views stretching to York Minster, it was a rare opportunity to step behind the walls and discover one of York’s hidden landmarks.

A Day of Discovery

The event, organised and promoted by York Unlocked, proved so popular that additional ticket allocations had to be released to meet demand. Visitors followed self-guided routes around the extensive grounds, with information points highlighting the site’s unique heritage and significance.

Many also stepped inside the former Recreation Hall to glimpse its remarkable interiors – a space rarely seen by the public before.

Heritage and Personal Stories

What made the day so special were the personal stories shared by former staff and families connected to The Retreat. Their memories added warmth and depth to the experience, reminding us of the human history woven into every part of this remarkable place.

Looking Ahead

We were delighted to host York Unlocked at The Retreat and are grateful to the volunteers who made the day possible. While this event was part of the city’s wider programme, we are planning our own series of heritage and engagement events, curated by our Events & Engagement Officer, Lucy South, to continue opening up the site to the community.

As development progresses, more areas of The Retreat will be revealed, offering new opportunities to explore and connect with its story.

The Future of The Retreat

The Retreat is now undergoing a transformation. The estate is being sensitively reshaped into a community of 120 characterful heritage homes, steeped in history and retaining many original features. Alongside these, a number of sustainably designed new homes will be created to sit perfectly within their historic surroundings – ensuring this unique site continues to play a role in York’s story for generations to come.

Be Part of the Next Chapter

Our next event will be the October Exclusive VIP Property Preview, offering a first look at this exciting new chapter for The Retreat, York.

👉 Register here to secure your place

You can also sign up to hear about future heritage and community events, so you don’t miss the chance to explore more of this remarkable site.

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Demand soars as 40% of homes are snapped up

by | Jul 24, 2025 | Blog, Current Developments, Sales Information, Uncategorised

24

July, 2025

Demand soars at The Retreat, Parbold

With 40% of its unique homes already sold off-plan

The main heritage building, Lancaster House, is currently being sensitively refurbished and repurposed into five grand character properties.

The Ainscough is an exquisite four bedroom centrepiece heritage home entered via the grand facade and final property available situated within the iconic conversion of Lancaster House.

Due to it’s exceptional ornate staircase, stain glass window and stunning architecture it is being dressed as a show home, due to open it’s doors to the public at the end of September, 2025.

Phase 2 of our heritage homes will include the conversion of The Coach House into five unique homes.

Alongside these beautiful pieces of history will sit a limited collection of distinctive energy efficient newly built houses, starting from £499,950.

These homes are built to the highest energy-efficiency ratings designed for lower running costs and year-round comfort. Features like solar panels and triple glazing keep your bills down, while underfloor heating and mechanical ventilation systems ensure a consistently pleasant environment.

The extensive walled gardens are a major selling point. Mature trees, hedged walkways, quiet seating spots and tranquil formal gardens surround the properties, with re-opened pathways creating a new trail for people to soak up the surrounding nature – hence the name, The Retreat

Heads of sales, Sue and Gavin, have been guiding buyers through the vision for The Retreat and are encouraging anyone interested in the remaining properties to get in touch. A trip to the marketing suite allows guests to view detailed floor plans, images of what the homes will look like, and examples of the kitchen and bathroom finishes.

Sue, head of sales at The Retreat, said:

“The response has been fantastic. Buyers are captivated by the unique blend of local history and modern, sustainable living. With 40% of homes now sold, a wonderful community is already taking shape. We encourage anyone curious to come and see for themselves why these homes are selling so quickly.”

The marketing suite on Lancaster Lane, Parbold (WN8 7HT) is open Thursday to Monday, 10am – 5pm.

With high demand for the remaining homes, we highly recommend booking a private viewing to avoid disappointment. To secure your appointment, call our team on 0800 151 0960 or email sales@theretreat-parbold.co.uk.

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Transformation of former World War 1 assembly hall

by | Jul 16, 2025 | Blog, Current Developments, Recently Acquired, Sales Information, St. James Hospital, Portsmouth, Uncategorised

16

July, 2025

First glimpse inside transformation

Stunning images unveiling of former World War 1 assembly hall transformed

Specialist heritage property developer PJ Livesey Group has unveiled stunning new images showcasing the transformation of an historic military assembly hall into an elegant resident’s lounge at its St James Park community in Southsea.

The striking images reveal how the Grade II listed building’s distinctive striped arches, which once echoed with the voices of American servicemen during the First World War, will be reimagined as a sophisticated communal space. The new shots demonstrate a contemporary sage green colour palette with natural timber elements and carefully preserved architectural details.

The remarkable space, originally built in the 1870s by renowned Victorian architect George Rake, served as an entertainment hall when St James operated as US Army Base hospital 33. Historic photographs from 1918 show the grand hall packed with soldiers sitting beneath the Byzantine arches.

The residents lounge forms the centrepiece of St James Park’s extensive communal facilities and compliments the 209 heritage and newly built homes set within mature parkland.

The main building also features dedicated workspaces and other communal facilities creating an inviting environment that balances both relaxation and productivity. Residents also gain access to ample-off street parking and scenic open areas.

Georgina Lynch Managing Director at PJ Livesey Group said:
“We’re incredibly proud to unveil these new images of the resident’s lounge, which epitomises our vision for St James Park – honouring the building’s remarkable history while creating exceptional spaces for modern living.

“The transformation of this former military assembly hall showcases our commitment to preserving architectural heritage with sensitivity and imagination. We’ve worked meticulously to maintain the building’s distinctive character whilst creating a meeting space our residents can enjoy for generations to come.”

Work continues on the Grade II listed main building with the new resident’s lounge expected to be completed alongside the remaining heritage homes, which have nearly all been snapped up already after strong demand. The collection of newly built homes have also seen a strong uptake, with only a handful remaining.

PJ Livesey will soon be offering a new wave of heritage homes at St James Park, offering buyers another chance to secure a piece of Portsmouth history reimagined for contemporary living.

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Quiet contemplation: colleagues visit Joseph Rowntree’s grave

by | Jul 7, 2025 | Blog, Current Developments, News & Events, Recently Acquired, Uncategorised

07

July, 2025

Quiet Contemplation

Colleagues visit Joseph Rowntree’s grave

Nestled in the peaceful setting of the Quaker burial ground at The Retreat in York lies the simple headstone of Joseph Rowntree.

This year marks 100 years since his death and recently, a group of colleagues from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation visited his grave.

It was an opportunity to reflect on the man who set up their organisation, his clarity of purpose and the enduring relevance of his values in today’s World.

The burial ground is unassuming: just a few words etched on weathered stone. In true Quaker spirit, it was quiet and contemplative, colleagues taking in the simplicity and peacefulness of the setting.

The visit offered everyone present a rare moment to connect personally with the origins of their work.

Julie Hulme, who is leading on the Centenary at JRF said: “it is the simplicity of the burial ground that is so special. Joseph Rowntree was a man with big ideas ahead of his time, who achieved so much in his lifetime, yet his grave is the same as all the other quakers buried there. It is humbling to see it. I think we all felt a great sense of responsibility to continue his mission – although he would be so disappointed to see that we are still at it 100 years on. “

Lucy South, Heritage Events and Engagement Manager for PJ Livesey Holdings Limited said: “As the new owners of The Retreat, the onus is on us to ensure we’re being thoughtful custodians of the burial ground that forms part of the site, it’s a very special place. Welcoming colleagues to Joseph Rowntree’s graveside and seeing them appreciate its deep historical significance was a true privilege.”

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Jo’s Story at King’s Gate Macclesfield

by | Mar 28, 2025 | Blog, Current Developments, Sales Information, Uncategorised

28

March, 2025

Why you should move into a PJ Livesey home

Moving home is a big decision, but for one of our Kings Gate residents, it was an easy one

Jo’s Story – We caught up with Jo, who, having spent time living in France, decided to move to our historic site in Macclesfield and make it her home. Have a read of what she had to say about the whole experience and why she made the move.

Q: What is it about Kings Gate that made you want to move here?

A: “I know King’s School really well as it’s a historic site in Macclesfield, and when I saw that it had been sold, I was really excited that PJ Livesey bought it because I’d seen the historic developments in Didsbury and around the country.”

Q: How was the customer journey for you?

A: “The staff at PJ Livesey were so friendly and informative, they guided me through the whole process of moving.

“The home demo where the onsite manager showed me how to use the solar panels, the battery, the alarm and all of the extra features that I wasn’t used to living with was brilliant.

“There’s so much technology in this house, and I’m not so high-tech, I’m more hands on, so that support was great.”

Q: What do you like most about your home at Kings Gate?

A: “I love living in my home in Kings Gate, I live with my teenage daughter. The site is incredible, right in the centre of Macclesfield which is a historic town, and we can walk to the market, to the beautiful bars and restaurants, my daughter can walk to school, and we have all our friends living locally to us.

“When we moved in, we were so surprised because we’d moved from a historic cottage with draughty windows and creaky floors, and it was always cold. Our home at Kings Gate doesn’t seem to drop below 19 degrees because its super insulated. I love the details, so for example, I love the way the windows are wood on the inside but metal on the outside, and they’re also triple-glazed. I love how sound proof the house is because of the insultation. We’re in a busy area in the centre of Macclesfield but can’t hear any sounds from outside. The spaces are bigger than normal new build space, and the ceilings are really high. I love the living room, everyone loves it when they come in, everyone says wow, and I pretty much say wow every time I come into the house as well.”

Q: What is it about Kings Gate that sets it apart from other developments you’ve either looked at, or are nearby?

A: “PJ Livesey pays such attention to the smallest details and seems to really care about building a community not just houses.

“The fact that the development has all of these eco credentials related to it was really fantastic for me, it means the bills are cheap as we don’t really pay any electricity bills in the summer because we have the solar panels.

“Also, the marketing and sales team were very friendly and caring, they really promoted this idea that they’re building a community, and I think that sets PJ Livesey apart from other companies.”

Q: What is it about Kings Gate that made you want to move here?

A: “I know King’s School really well as it’s a historic site in Macclesfield, and when I saw that it had been bought, I was really excited that PJ Livesey bought it because I’d seen the historic developments in Didsbury and around the country.”

Q: How was the customer journey for you?

A: “The staff at PJ Livesey were so friendly and informative, they guided me through the process of moving. From the home demo where the onsite manager showed me how to use the solar panels, the battery, how the alarm worked, and all of the extra features that I wasn’t used to living with.

“There’s so much technology in this house, and I’m not so high-tech, I’m more hands-on, so that support was great.”

Q: What do you like most about your home at Kings Gate?

A: “I love living in my home in Kings Gate, I live here with my teenage daughter.

“First of all, the site is incredible, in the centre of Macclesfield which is a historic town, and we can walk to the market, to the beautiful bars and restaurants, my daughter can walk to school, and we have all our friends living locally to us.

“When we moved in, we were so surprised because we’d moved from a historic cottage with draughty windows and creaky floors, and it was always cold. So when we moved in here, we found that it doesn’t seem to drop below 19 degrees because it’s super insulated.”

“I love the spaces, they’re bigger than normal new-build space, and the ceilings are really high. Even this room, everyone says wow, and I pretty much say wow every time I come into the house as well.”

Jo’s experience highlights everything that makes Kings Gate special – heritage, sustainability, and a welcoming community, and now, you have the chance to be part of it.

The iconic Main School building, built in 1910, is being beautifully transformed into The Residence, a collection of 26 unique, high-specification 1, 2 & 3-bedroom apartments and penthouses. Each home offers private outdoor spaces and dedicated parking, combining historic charm with modern living.

With over 70% already reserved, now is the time to secure your dream home at Kings Gate. Don’t miss out – book your viewing today!

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