Uniting NSW.ACT has scaled back its redevelopment of Nareen Gardens retirement village on the NSW Central Coast after community concern.
Nareen Gardens (pictured above) at Bateau Bay is to be overhauled into a vertical development; however, community concerns have forced the operator to further scale back its original intention.
Uniting NSW.ACT states its has made the following changes to its plan:
- Removed building 4 from the plans
- Decreased independent living apartments by 20%. The plan now proposes 186 apartments
- Removed the top floors from three buildings (1, 2 and 5)
- Added 28 accessible ground level apartments with courtyards across five buildings (Buildings 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6)
- Increased the distance of the buildings to 12 metres apart
- Increased the Village Green by 48% and kept the original plans for a children’s playground, barbeque area, activities and seated areas
- Moved three buildings (2, 5 and 6) further from the eastern boundary, increasing the depth of the landscaping
- Added clothes drying areas for residents
- Reduced the size of two buildings (Buildings 1 and 2) on Altona Avenue
- Created wider roads and improved access and security
Adrian Ciano, Head of Property Development at Uniting NSW.ACT, said the development aims to fix gaps in the local seniors housing market and feedback has been welcomed.
“Consultation is an important part of every development, to help us understand what the community wants and needs from their community services and seniors living," he said.
“Uniting is pleased to provide greater privacy through less dwellings, greater setbacks, lower heights, additional screening, solid balustrading as well as increased landscaping, aligning to the comments made by the community."
Further details will be made available to the public for comment once Uniting NSW>ACT resubmits its development application to Central Coast Council.
In March, Uniting NSW.ACT opened 101 new apartments at its Bowden Brae village in Normanhurst on Sydney’s North Shore, adding to the 39 existing units at the site.
Also in March, it was revealed Uniting NSW.ACT’s new six-storey retirement village in Leichhardt, in Sydney Inner West, had sold out after being released for sale in December 2020 with the Not For Profit intent on building a second village nearby.
The 49 apartments at Uniting Norton Street Leichhardt, were priced from $680,000 for a one-bedroom, $790,000 for a two-bedroom, $900,000 for two bedrooms and a study and $1.09 million for a three-bedroom apartment.
