A €43 million investment will see the opening of Malta’s first ‘retirement village’ – the Hilltop Gardens – in September 2015, developers AX Holdings announced this afternoon.

At a press conference held on site, AX chairman Anglu Xuereb stressed that the development differed from the standard model of institutional care for the elderly, and instead sought to address an existing lacuna in the provision of community healthcare services.

The project will include 150 apartments and penthouses, aimed at people aged 60 and over who can live independently or who would only require minor assistance.

Since needs and dependencies may change over time, the facility will also include a 200-bed residential care home providing 24-hour care for medium to high dependency patients, as well as residents with dementia or others requiring respite care.

Construction works are ongoing, and should be finalised by the end of the year: the project should be operational by the following September.

The project was welcomed by Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing Justyne Caruana and Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia, with the former stating that it reflected the government’s own strategy to encourage active ageing.

Dr Farrugia, who had been responsible for planning until last March’s cabinet reshuffle, welcomed Mr Xuereb’s assertion that the development would be as green as possible.

He also stressed that the government itself was seeking to reach public private partnerships to provide 200-300 additional beds for the elderly every year through the private sector.