Major developments underway in Queensland

Bringing an additional 128 residential aged care places to the area, a state-of-the-art residential aged care service in Dragon Street, Warwick recently received council approval. This development adjoins the organisation’s Regency Park Retirement Village, where senior living apartments, more open community spaces, a café and a community centre are also planned.

Chief Executive Officer Dean Phelan says the development is the next step in establishing Warwick as a major centre for seniors care on the Southern Downs.

“Building on our recent acquisition and extension of Regency Park, we look forward to the possibilities this integrated community development brings,” he says. “The age care service offers additional care services to enable Warwick seniors to age in place with no need to move from their community if their care needs change.”

The organisation has already begun working on its $14.5million extension to its Villa Carramar Aged Care Service in Stanthorpe, which will provide care for 106 seniors when it is complete and Mr Phelan says these are substantial investments in terms of resources to plan and build.

He also highlights they are longer term community investments with significant job creation, training and local suppliers.

Elsewhere, City of Gold Coast Council has approved redevelopment for Churches of Christ in Queensland’s Benawa Campus. The proposed development, which will be built in a number of stages, will see a total redevelopment of the existing Lady Small Haven retirement village and aged care service.

Subject to feasibility studies and Board approval, the development will see a campus tailor-made for Gold Coast seniors comprising of low rise buildings, state-of-the-art residential aged care, supported living units and new retirement living apartments. It will also include a community hub, allied health and retail, and give the wider community access to home and community care, specialised dementia care and respite care.

Churches of Christ in Queensland has acquired four retirement villages since 2015, and Mr Phelan says a number of other growth and acquisition projects and opportunities are in the pipeline for 2017 and beyond.