Retirees to get first look at new homes on former historic site in Southend
With construction well underway, McCarthy Stone is hosting a Discovery Day on Wednesday, April 2, to showcase the development, named Haydn Place.
The event will offer a glimpse of the 60 low-maintenance, stylish one and two-bedroom retirement apartments that will soon be available.
The Discovery Day will take place at the Maritime Room at Southend Cliffs Pavilion on Station Road, with sessions at 11am and 2pm.
Places must be booked in advance by calling 0800 153 3435.
The new community will feature superb communal spaces, including a lounge for socialising and a communal garden maintained by McCarthy Stone's team.
Rebecca Johnson, sales director at McCarthy Stone, said: "Buying a new home is always a big decision, but never more so when considering downsizing and embracing a new lifestyle in an age-exclusive development.
"That's why we want to ensure those considering this option have as much information, support, and choice as possible."
Previous photo of bulldozers on site (Image: Martin Halliday)
The Discovery Day will provide an opportunity to learn more about the quality of accommodation soon to be available in Southend, as well as meet the McCarthy Stone team.
Ms Johnson added: "Our innovative approach to independent living ensures homeowners don't have to compromise on their lifestyle, their social life, or their independence.
"We're anticipating high demand for the new retirement homes at Haydn Place, so would urge anyone interested to secure their appointment as soon as possible."
Each property will be fitted with state-of-the-art security features, including a 24-hour emergency call system.
A house manager will also be on-site during office hours to ensure everything runs smoothly.
The Nazareth House development has been named Haydn Place, in honour of Southend actor Richard Haydn, and a further 84 retirement apartments are due to be built on the site by developer Acorn.
Nazareth House was established in Southend in 1873 as a home for the elderly as well as for "sickly or incurable" children.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hamilton Spectator
11-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Who should pay for green retrofits to apartment buildings? Not tenants, report argues
Above guideline rent increases are the most 'regressive' way to fund green retrofits in rental housing, a new report from Ontario ACORN argues. The report from the tenant union spells out how some landlords have used above-guideline rent increases (AGIs) to pass the cost of climate-conscious upgrades on to tenants and make a profit. 'ACORN members agree these retrofits are needed and at a much greater scale. However, it shouldn't be low-income tenants paying the bill so we can achieve our climate goals,' the report says. The report looks at 16 applications to raise rents above the provincial maximum for rent-controlled units to cover the cost of energy and water conservation projects — including things like new boilers, windows and doors, lighting retrofits and common area renovations. In one case, an AGI application for one Toronto building was approved to cover nearly $77,000 for new toilets and breaker panels. But because the cost of water is built into the rent for most of its units, tenants aren't 'seeing any of the savings on the water bill,' said Stacey Semple, who lives in the building and is a tenant leader in ACORN's downtown Toronto chapter. The report outlines how AGIs, especially when applied repeatedly, can drastically increase rent costs over time. Thorncliffe Park tenants have withheld rent from landlord Starlight Investments since 2023. In Ontario, units occupied before Nov. 15, 2018, are rent-controlled, meaning for this year rent in those units can only be increased by 2.5 per cent (for 2026, the rent increase guideline is 2.1 per cent). However, the Residential Tenancies Act allows applications to the Landlord and Tenant Board for AGIs for a number of reasons, including covering the cost of energy and water conservation upgrades. Landlords can apply for AGIs for a maximum of 9 per cent over three years on top of the rental increase guideline. Increases are cumulative, so when an AGI is carried out over multiple years, the annual increase is based on the last year's rent rate, not the rate when the AGI was first granted — which Ricardo Tranjan, senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, who had no involvement in the report, sees as a flaw. For example, on top of the 2.5 per cent increase allowed annually, a 9 per cent AGI spread over three years applied to a starting rent of $1,500 a month grows to $1761.40 a month at the end of the three years. Another flaw noted by Tranjan is that AGIs for capital expenditures have interest built in at the standard five-year mortgage rate to cover the upgrade's useful life. But that interest rate, 'may or may not be what (landlords were) charged themselves if they borrowed' to pay for the upgrades, he said. 'If you're charging more interest than you're paying yourself, you're keeping the change,' said Tranjan. 'It's is a pretty bad formula that benefits landlords instead of tenants.' It's not just a Toronto problem as rents have skyrocketed in cities outside the GTA, says the CCPA. Ontario ACORN, which advocates for an end to AGIs altogether, is calling on the province to make green retrofits ineligible for AGIs as well as require landlords to prove they aren't eligible for any rebates or funding in their AGI applications, according to the report. The report notes there are government programs to help fund green retrofits, but says there's low uptake by private landlords and a mismatch between what's offered and what tenants need. Because many tenants pay for utilities themselves, and thus pay the price for energy inefficiency, landlords don't have much incentive to apply for grants or low-cost financing to cover improvements when they could apply for an AGI instead, the report says. 'AGIs will always be seen as more attractive to corporate landlords because they're easy to approve and they make a huge profit,' said Jamie Gooch, a leader in the McWatters ACORN Tenant Union in Ottawa. In addition to ACORN's demands to ban AGIs, the union wants to see more funding for green retrofits in rental buildings from all levels of government. 'If private landlords won't pay for green retrofits, then the government should,' said Gooch.


Forbes
25-06-2025
- Forbes
5 Reasons Outdated Performance Reviews Make Top Talent Quit
Leaders may trust old-school performance reviews, but in reality, these practices are pushing top ... More talent out the door. Nearly 80% of senior leaders admit employees must leave their company to get promoted or earn higher pay, according to Acorn's 2025 Corporate Performance and Learning Survey. This shocking statistic highlights a fundamental flaw in how organizations assess and develop their employees. While 66% of executives report confidence in their performance tools and frameworks, only 19% of individual contributors share that sentiment. Leaders might believe old-school performance reviews are working, but the reality is that they are driving away top talent. Here are five critical ways outdated performance reviews are sabotaging your ability to retain your best people, along with strategies to improve your approach dramatically. 1. Annual Reviews Create Anxiety When workers spend months anticipating a single conversation that will determine their compensation and career path, the psychological pressure becomes overwhelming. As a result, traditional performance reviews have become anxiety-inducing sessions that crush employee motivation rather than inspire excellence. The emotional toll extends beyond the meeting itself. According to Acorn's research, one in four employees question their value to their organization after a performance review. Most respondents reported that past performance reviews made them feel anxious, stressed, uninspired and less productive. For high-achieving professionals who thrive on recognition and growth opportunities, these negative experiences become powerful motivators to seek employment elsewhere. Create low-stakes, regular check-ins that focus on support rather than evaluation: 2. Delayed Feedback Loses Impact By the time managers sit down to discuss performance issues or achievements, the feedback has lost all practical value. Employees need real-time guidance to course-correct, capitalize on opportunities and maintain momentum. Betterworks' 2024 State of Performance Enablement report found that employees who receive ongoing feedback are three times more likely to feel they can perform their work well and are significantly more likely to see a path for internal career development. When organizations wait until year-end to address performance gaps or celebrate wins, they miss critical opportunities for growth and improvement throughout the year. Implement a "feedback at the moment" culture: 3. One-Size-Fits-All Ignores Individual Strengths Traditional performance reviews operate on standardized frameworks that fail to account for the diverse ways employees contribute value. These rigid structures force managers to evaluate software engineers using the same criteria as sales representatives or to assess remote workers by the same standards as those in traditional office environments. High performers, who often embrace unique approaches and specialized skills, find themselves constrained by performance reviews that fail to recognize their exceptional contributions. Develop personalized evaluation approaches: 4. Bias and Inconsistency Undermine Trust One of the most damaging aspects of traditional performance reviews is their susceptibility to bias and inconsistency. Research conducted by Six Seconds reveals that 62% of the variance in performance reviews comes from the rater's tendencies, while only 21% reflects the actual employee's performance. This means performance reviews are three times more reflective of the manager's biases than the employee's actual contributions. Recency bias particularly impacts performance reviews, where managers tend to focus disproportionately on recent events while overlooking achievements from earlier in the year. Without documentation and regular check-ins, reviewers rely on whatever examples come to mind during the evaluation period. This approach penalizes employees whose peak contributions occurred months before the review cycle and rewards those who happened to excel just before evaluation time. Build systematic, bias-resistant evaluation processes: 5. Limited Growth Drives Top Talent Away The most compelling reason top talent leaves organizations with outdated performance reviews is the lack of career development opportunities. Traditional annual reviews primarily focus on past performance rather than future potential, offering limited guidance on how employees can advance their careers within the organization. When high performers can't see clear pathways for growth, they create their own by changing companies. Transform reviews into growth-focused conversations: Moving Beyond Broken Performance Reviews Traditional performance reviews are driving away the top talent companies need to succeed. While many employers express openness to AI-powered solutions and capability-based feedback, outdated review processes still frustrate both employees and managers. High performers have options, and many are choosing workplaces that prioritize continuous growth instead of relying on annual evaluations. The businesses most likely to thrive will be those that view performance management as an ongoing process of development and support, rather than a once-a-year ranking exercise.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
Murray hails ‘brilliant opportunities' of UK Government's industrial strategy
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has hailed the 'brilliant opportunities' that could come out of the UK Government's industrial strategy. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled the document on Monday, pinpointing key industries believed to have the most potential for growth such as artificial intelligence, offshore wind and batteries for electric vehicles. The 160-page document put Scotland 'at the heart of the UK's energy transition', as well as talking up commitments to a £750 million supercomputer in Edinburgh and £200 million in development funding for the Acorn carbon capture and storage facility in Aberdeenshire. The Prime Minister also announced a cut to electricity bills for industrial businesses, £30 million for the video games sector – with a number of high profile developers based in Scotland – and £30 million for research and development for each of the devolved nations. Delighted to be in Cockenzie, East Lothian for the launch of the UK Industrial Strategy today. Lots of brilliant opportunities for Scotland from the 8 growth sectors. Jobs, investment, regeneration and skills. — Ian Murray MP (@IanMurrayMP) June 23, 2025 In a post on X following a visit to the promote the strategy, the Scottish Secretary said: 'Delighted to be in Cockenzie, East Lothian, for the launch of the UK industrial strategy today. 'Lots of brilliant opportunities for Scotland from the eight growth sectors. 'Jobs, investment, regeneration and skills.' The strategy was also praised by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. 'Labour's industrial strategy delivers for Scotland – unlocking economic potential, raising wages, boosting living standards, and delivering the growth we need,' he said. Asked about his response to the UK Government's announcement on Monday, First Minister John Swinney touted his own Government's work on industry. 'Of course, we have in Scotland our own approach to industrial strategy, which involves working with our universities, with our economic development agencies to ensure that we attract investment and can support development within the economy,' he told the PA news agency. 'Last week, we saw that Scotland, for the 10th year in a row, was the most successful part of the United Kingdom for the attraction of inward investment other than London and the south east. 'So that's an indication that the Scottish Government's got its priorities correct, its focus correct on the attraction of investment, because we're contributing to make Scotland an incredibly successful investment location.'