A new retirement community with high-end amenities is set to offer an enriching and supportive lifestyle.

If there’s one problem with lovely, leafy Willoughby, it’s that hardly anyone wants to move out. For retirees, this poses a dilemma: How can they downsize in their beloved neighbourhood yet have a little more luxury than before?

The solution may be found at Hyegrove Willoughby, a community set to enshrine the good life in one of Sydney’s most desirable postcodes.

Imagine rising with the sun and taking a gentle stretch in the yoga studio before a hike to Harold Reid Reserve – then coming home to a delicious brunch prepared by chefs. Spending a balmy afternoon in the garden. Enjoying evening cocktails on a rooftop terrace with views of the Sydney skyline. Winding down in a spotlessly clean apartment.

Hyegrove is about ageing (well) in place. With 126 apartments complemented by a 45-room facility for higher-level care, this new style of forever home means residents who need more care in their later years can continue to live among friends.

Due to completion in 2025, Hyegrove will be part of the $95 million transformation of Club Willoughby.

Well-known local developers Hyecorp Property Group invited local residents to morning-tea discussions about the plans.

“It is our way of respecting our elders – asking them what they would like rather than telling them what we are offering,” says Stephen Abolakian, Willoughby resident and Hyecorp’s managing director.

Top of the wish list – and now in the works – are a concierge and on-site management, daily activities, an indoor swimming pool, a gym/Pilates studio and almost 2000 square metres of open green space.

Hyegrove will also have communal lounges, a wine room, a private dining room, a bar and cafe, private cinema and that gorgeous terrace on the roof.

With Willoughby City Council expecting a 27.8 per cent increase in the retired population between 2016-26, Hyegrove is poised to become a landmark. “There has been a huge shift to downsizing in our suburb, with residents seeking luxury serviced living and a sense of community,” Abolakian says.

“Ageing in place is the overarching part of our strategy here. In the wake of everything that is changing in the industry, it is clear that a new model is needed – not just beautiful amenities but a strong interaction
between low care and high care.”

For its first venture into retirement living, Hyecorp gathered an in-house team of architects and designers who know Willoughby well.

“Willoughby is sophisticated yet relaxed,” Abolakian says. “Young families are moving in, and people who have lived in Willoughby for 40 years want to stay, but not necessarily in a big house.”

Hyegrove will have attentive staff, including chefs, medical professionals and maintenance experts. A full-time concierge will ensure service and safety, including when a resident is away on holiday.

Most important, healthcare can be adjusted to suit a resident’s needs.

“If you move in when you are more able and you need care later, that can be provided in your apartment,” Abolakian says.

“If you need a higher level of care, you can move into the on-site facility …There is no need to move anywhere else.”