Retirement villages offer flexible living solutions to meet the changing needs of later life. Oxfordshire will have two prestigious retirement villages in key locations within the next three years.

These will be built by Richmond Villages, the leading developer of luxury retirement villages in the UK. It realises that interest in this type of accommodation is rapidly gaining momentum.

Keith Cockell, founder and managing director of Richmond Villages, said: "Our retirement villages are designed to cater for the varying needs of retired and elderly people.

"We recognise that many are still very fit when they retire and simply want somewhere safe and secure to live, with good facilities, and where they can have access to assistance in the future, should they need it. Our village apartments are ideal for this.

"Others need help on a daily basis but still want their own space, their own home where they can entertain family and friends. We provide this by offering fully-serviced apartments. For those who require 24-hour nursing care, we have a high-quality nursing home."

Richmond is planning two retirement villages in Oxfordshire at Letcombe Regis, near Wantage, and Witney.

At Letcombe, site work is well underway on the village, which will have 60 care bedrooms, 50 serviced apartments and 73 village apartments. There will also be leisure facilities and a shop - which will also benefit the local community - and a nature walk around the lake.

A sales office and a showhome is expected to open in the autumn, with completion of the development by December 2009.

At Witney, Richmond has obtained outline planning permission for a village consisting of 30 care bedrooms, 42 serviced apartments and 54 village apartments. Detailed planning permission is expected later this year.

Anyone interested in finding out more about these retirement villages should contact the sales office at Richmond Villages' Northampton development on 01604 432600, or visit the website: www.richmond-villages.com