The plan to double the size of the village in Killara, 14km northwest of Sydney's CBD, first sought by previous owner Stockland in 2018, has been unanimously rejected by a five-person strategic planning panel, which is part of the NSW Government's Sydney North Planning Panel.
Further, an “alteration” will be sent to the NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment asking that a November 2018 decision approving Gateway Determination be rescinded.
The panel will ask the NSW planning minister’s delegate “to determine the matter not proceed”.
Levande proposed a $100 million upgrade of the 40-year-old facility. A series of buildings from three to six storeys would include 141 independent living units, a new aged-care facility with 110 beds, and at least 63 townhouses as part of a purely residential development.
The facility, on the edge of Garigal National Park, would have a new road network and about 1400sqm would be for internal communal space.
Unresolved bushfire risks and density distribution were behind the rejection.
“The panel noted a consensus among meeting participants that the Lourdes Retirement Village provided a valuable community service but was in need of redevelopment,” it said.
“However, there was no consensus on the scale and form of any redevelopment.”
Levande, which said the decision was “deeply disappointing”, added the village is overdue for renewal.
“Our proposal provided for every current resident to receive, free of charge, a new apartment, purpose-built for the specific needs of today’s retirees.
“We’ll take some time to examine the panel’s determination in detail before commenting further.”
Browse Levande's many facilities on villages.com.au
