Seniors housing to be woven into regeneration suburban rejig
LOS ANGELES: Seniors living is to be seamlessly woven into the rejig of a major suburban regeneration project.
Waverley Estate in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is all set to be redeveloped into an integrated community for seniors, following the approval of the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for the project by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure last November.
The $500-million renewal of the War Memorial Hospital site located at 125 Birrell Street by Uniting NSW.ACT seeks to transform the 3.4-hectare property into a comprehensive seniors’ living precinct that will support the Waverley community by “providing quality, person-centred aged care, independent and retirement living and community services that respond to their changing needs, allowing people to age in place”.
Uniting has been offering community health and aged care services for the local Waverley community for over 100 years. The redevelopment will expand the existing aged care and community services onsite by integrating residential aged care, independent living, assisted living, wellness services and community facilities alongside the hospital into the new masterplan.
According to Uniting NSW.ACT chief executive officer Tracey Burton, people over 75 years represent the fastest-growing age group in New South Wales. However, there’s a significant shortage of seniors housing across the state.
“Purpose-built accommodation helps older people stay independent for longer, delays the need for higher-level care, and frees up family homes for others during a housing crisis,” Burton explains.
Led by Architectus in collaboration with Welsh + Major, Arcadia and Yerrabingin, the renewal of Uniting Waverley Estate aims to set a new benchmark for a contemporary, connected community for older Australians that supports ageing in place.
Significantly informed by community feedback, the final masterplan design focuses on heritage preservation, environmental conservation, site history and connection to Country.
New mid-rise buildings – four to seven storeys high – will be built on the site to accommodate 231 independent living apartments in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts including 23 affordable housing units as well as a 105-bed residential aged care home.
The masterplan also includes a purpose-designed day centre to support seniors and younger people living with early onset dementia; community facilities including a Seniors’ Gym, Men’s Shed and other services to encourage seamless links to the surrounding community; and amenities such as a hairdressing salon, café and multipurpose rooms. The landscape design, led by Arcadia, will integrate public green spaces, sensory gardens, and social courtyards throughout the site. Access to the Estate will be improved to enable locals to share the community facilities and gardens.
The Uniting War Memorial Hospital will continue to be operational during the course of the redevelopment, and will be an important part of Uniting’s vision to create a hub of care, wellbeing and community.
While the non-heritage structures at Uniting Waverley Estate will give way to more contemporary buildings, four heritage-listed buildings – Ellerslie, Banksia, Wych Hazel, and the Church Street Cottages – will be preserved through sensitive residential adaptive reuse designed by Welsh + Major.
According to Architectus, the principles of a Connecting with Country Framework have been embedded throughout the site through close collaboration with Yerrabingin and First Nations-led consultations.
“This is more than a redevelopment,” says Architectus Principal Farhad Haidari[2]. “It’s a long-term investment in place, care and community, creating a future-focused village. It integrates the existing hospital within a residential community where older Australians can live with independence and connection.”
The project is currently progressing into the detailed design stage, with a builder to be appointed next year. The timeframe for construction is yet to be determined; however, the redevelopment is estimated to take up to four years to build. On completion, Uniting Waverley Estate will be home to about 400 senior residents.