Adam Somerville, managing director of family owned company Mbark, has developed two retirement living villages, both of which have taken home national property awards.
Wivenhoe Village at Cobbity in NSW achieved national recognition earlier this month taking out the GHD Woodhead Award for Best Retirement Living Development at the Property Council of Australia / Rider Levett Bucknall Awards. Mbark has been applauded for a new housing model that delivers a significant social benefits.
In 2014, Somerville and his team took out the same award for The Arbor, Berry.
So how has he done it?
Located within the Kirkham Rise development at Camden in NSW, Wivenhoe Village was created through a joint venture with the land’s custodians, the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and provides new housing options for people who are accustomed to living on the land or on larger blocks and want to downsize without losing privacy and space.
Sitting adjacent to 120-hectares of Cumberland plain woodland the village offers more than seven kilometres of walking trails and cycle ways through picturesque bushland.
Mbark made a sizeable financial contribution towards restoration and conservation of the critically-endangered habitat and established a trust to fund ongoing conservation work and land care whilst the social benefits from Mbark’s development included the restoration of an historic local villa operated by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and an increased capacity at a local special needs school.
Mbark’s approach has a highly consultative and customer led focus according to Somerville.
With The Arbor at Berry, Mbark engaged and consulted with the local community for years prior to commencing construction and evolved their design ideas after talking at length with potential customers. He added that the company’s goal is to continue working in conjunction with social organisations such as sporting clubs, religious and other non-profit groups.
Mbark is currently looking to build 125 retirement living units on land at Red Hill in conjunction with the Federal Golf Club in Canberra.
