New retirement village for Adelaide

An Adelaide consortium is planning a $100 million retirement village in the north-eastern suburbs, which would be one of the largest developed in the city.

The Wheatfield Seniors Living Community will provide about 190 independent living units on part of the Northgate infill residential site, about eight kilometres from the Adelaide CBD.

Two of South Australia’s largest aged care operators, Masonic Homes Incorporated and the ACH Group, have formed a joint venture to develop the village.

It will be built on about 4.2 hectares, or about 10% of Northgate’s third stage.

The partners plan to begin construction early next year for completion late in 2009.

They said the project would combine Masonic Homes’s community and property development expertise with ACH’s strength in community care options.

It is also the first time that retirement living needs have been considered within the first stages of planning for a broader residential community, the joint venture partners said.

Work will begin immediately to have a more formal development and construction timetable and floor plan options ready by year’s end.

Wheatfield Seniors Living Community will include a community care centre and club, which will include therapy services.

The units will be both single and multi-storey.

About 30% of the dwellings will be developed for sale to clients, and the rest will be for rental.