Not For Profit’s $120M Adelaide retirement village proposal rejected
South Australia’s State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) on Friday (24 April) knocked back a proposal described as a “new benchmark in retirement living”.
ACH Group had announced two major development projects in Adelaide worth a combined $190 million in December last year.
The larger development was a $120 million, 72-apartment retirement village at Rose Park, just east of the CBD, which has now been rejected.
“This is a particularly disappointing outcome, as the proposed development was designed to address the growing demand for high quality housing options for older people at time when this has never been more urgent in South Australia to relieve pressure on our housing and health care systems,” ACH Group said in a statement issued on Friday afternoon.
“We will now take the time to reflect and consider options as part of our unwavering commitment to supporting good lives for older people.”
The Falconer Brown-designed buildings, one 13 storeys in height, was to feature a range of smart technology, meet 7.5-star energy rating and balconies with views across the parklands and the Adelaide Hills.
Shared facilities were to include a restaurant, private dining room, cinema room, library and rooftop terrace. A health and wellness hub with a consultation room, fully equipped gym, pool, and spa would also be included.
“Combined with the highest quality support ACH Group provides, this development truly sets a new benchmark in retirement living,” a statement on the $120 million investment stated.
The development was also to include the full restoration of heritage-listed Vasey House.
“Our Rose Park development is a unique, premium offering where historic preservation meets state-of-the-art technology, and sustainability,” ACH Group CEO Linda Feldt said in December last year.
“The restoration of Vasey House, honouring Jessie Vasey OBE, CBE founder of the War Widows Guild, affirms ACH Group’s deep and long-standing commitment to the veteran community.”
Why the proposal was rejected
The City of Burnside had made a formal representation to the State Planning Commission in relation to the development along with 220 other representors that did not support the development. The SCAP received one representation in support of the proposal.
City of Burnside CEO, Julia Grant, welcomed the SCAP decision and said that while Council supported retirement living as an appropriate land use for the site, it was in opposition to the intensity and scale of the proposal.
“The scale of the development represented a clear overdevelopment of this location and a lack of consideration of nearby residents,” she said.
In addition, the Council said the proposed development did not adequately reflect the heritage values of the War Widows legacy. Vasey House is a Local Heritage Place and, in addition to its architectural qualities, was owned by the Australian War Widows (formerly known as the War Widows’ Guild) since 1963 and was named in honour of Mrs Jessie Vasey, the Guild’s founder and inaugural President.
“Council had raised serious concerns about the intensity, height and scale of the approved development, its impacts on adjacent established neighbourhoods, local traffic and parking conditions, and the setting of the local heritage listed Vasey House,” she added.
The Council said its position was informed by independent expert advice and was shared by the local community, adding that the site is a delicate heritage area and that the developer had made ambit claims on the height and scale of the proposed development.
