The new wave of consumer advocacy: The original plan approved in 2006 for the former Cookson Plibrico site at Bulli, 12km north of the Wollongong CBD, allowed for a three-storey retirement village with up to 250 apartments on the southern section of the 8.1ha site and a four-storey aged care home with up to 120 beds on the northern side.
The revised plan now has a 130-unit retirement village and 68-bed aged care home on the south and 57 private townhouses up to two storeys with 111 car spaces on the north.
The resident leading the opposition Jill Walker says the plan would create further problems around an existing traffic bottleneck, and that the community was “owed” a comprehensive Traffic Study by independent road safety experts.
But Anglicare said the needs of the community have changed since the original plan was approved.
“Research has revealed that there has been a constant supply of new seniors housing in the locality which has decreased the demand for this type of housing,” a letter by their urban planners Ethos Urban states.
“Anglicare is therefore proposing to replace the seniors housing with standard residential accommodation to better reflect market demand.”
Anglicare is currently undertaking community consultation and is expected to submit its application next month.
