Women said they were proud to be making history as work began on a new housing scheme.

The ‘New Ground Cohousing’ development will be the UK’s first senior cohousing scheme for older women, and has been planned for 16 years by the group Older Women’s Co-Housing (OWCH).

The site, in Union Street, Barnet, is due to open next February and will contain 25 homes, including eight social rented flats, which will all be occupied by members of the group.

Hanover Housing Association developed the site, and the charity Housing for Women will run it.

Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers attended the launch of the scheme at the building site last Friday.

Shirley Meredeen, 84, who co-founded OWCH, said: “It’s never been done before, and we will be completely running it ourselves. We are making history, and we are extremely proud. We are going to tell other people to come and have a look. We hope others will learn from us.”

Ms Meredeen, who currently lives in Islington, said the group had fought hard to retain the social rented flats in the scheme, which she was particularly proud of.

She added: “Everyone is tremendously excited. We want to be part of the Barnet community. We are not going to be a little ghetto of older people, we want to be good neighbours.”

Anna Watkins, an OWCH member since 2010, said: “Everyone is incredibly excited. It took us five years to find a site. The women are currently scattered all over London. There will be a group of us living together who will support each other, with a wealth of experience and from different professions. It will be wonderful for us, and I hope for High Barnet.”