Care provider to develop seniors village into general housing
MELBOURNE: A trend is emerging whereby seniors housing is reverting to multigenerational use in all economic quartiles.
Retirement living provider IRT has expanded its plans to develop its Towradgi Beach site with more than 140 dwellings, in a development described as affordable housing – not retirement or senior living.
IRT’s latest application also includes its neighbouring retirement village, Towradgi Park Lodge, for redevelopment in the expanded plans.
If the development goes ahead it would mark a pivot in strategy for the aged care and retirement company, after IRT chief executive Ross Gallagher earlier this year said “alternative housing options” for the site would need to be explored.
Over several years IRT’s proposals to redevelop its Towradgi Beach village were knocked back three times by Wollongong City Council and the Local Planning Panel over issues including flooding, building heights, privacy concerns for neighbours and tree removal.
IRT – full name Illawarra Retirement Trust – has now turned to the NSW Major Projects process to take advantage of the state government’s push for more residential development, adding 66 more dwellings to the previous plan.
A scoping report for the latest proposal, estimated to cost $208 million, makes no mention of seniors or retirement living, while detailing plans for 56 apartments and 97 townhouses over two neighbouring sites.
Parts of IRT Towradgi are boarded up (left) while some residents continue to live there. Pictures by Robert Peet
The two-part development will now propose 39 apartments (30 of them affordable) in an 11m high unit block, plus 88 three-storey townhouses, replacing IRT Towradgi Beach at 17A Murranar Rd.
IRT Towradgi Park Lodge, at 43-47 Towradgi Rd, would also be redeveloped, with 17 apartments (six of them affordable) in a 11m unit block, and nine two-storey townhouses.
It is not clear what this means for current residents. IRT declined to comment on the new plans, ahead of a more detailed announcement expected soon.
The affordable housing components (16 per cent and 15 per cent respectively) are just enough to trigger the height and floor space bonuses under NSW planning laws.
The previous proposal, for seniors housing, included 87 independent living units at 17A Murranar Rd alone, with a plan to raise streets by 2m to mitigate against flood risks.
The area marked 1 is Towradgi Park Village; the area marked 2 is the Towradgi Park Lodge. Image IRT/Colliers Urban Planning, from NSW Major Projects
It was rejected by the Wollongong Local Planning Panel after its March 31 meeting this year, prompting IRT chief executive Ross Gallagher to say the site was “challenging”.
His comments following the rejection suggested the site’s future may not be in aged care or retirement living, as he forecast a “new generation” of IRT developments.
“While we’re disappointed we couldn’t progress a seniors’ living community on this site, we respect the panel’s decision,” Mr Gallagher said at the time.
“We’re focused on finding the right path forward as quickly as possible and continue to look towards IRT’s next generation of developments.”
The previous two iterations of the development had been withdrawn by IRT after concerns were raised by council planners.
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