The £125m development will be built in Clapham in south London by retirement village operator Audley and private real estate investor Apache Capital, and is only the second development of its kind in the capital.

Audley, which focuses on the higher end of the retirement housing market, has previously only built homes outside of London which provide village residents with extra care services if they need them.

Government figures show the number of over 85s is predicted to more than double in the next 23 years.

The two companies now say they will work together to build a number of similar schemes over the coming years.

Nick Sanderson, chief executive of Audley, said: “This is about providing an option for older people currently living in London who want to stay in London. It is a myth that everyone wants to move to the country as they get older and our own research has shown us that many people want to stay in the same locality.”

Proof that the UK’s retirement village sector is not so different from our own?