How Uniting’s Gordon plans have changed
- HDA pathway: Uniting revives $446M Gordon seniors living proposal
- Expanded plans: 235 retirement apartments and 90-bed aged care home
- Concurrent rezoning: Height increase and seniors housing sought
- Development pipeline: Adds to Uniting’s $1.2bn-plus NSW projects
Uniting has turned to the NSW Government’s new Housing Delivery Authority to progress its Gordon redevelopment.
The Not For Profit faith-based provider has applied for a declaration that its proposed State Significant Development (SSD) should also constitute a concurrent Planning Proposal, seeking to increase the maximum building height and add seniors housing as a permitted use on the vacant Gordon site.
The Weekly SOURCE reported in November 2023 that Uniting had lodged plans for a development comprising 160 independent living retirement apartments and a 90-place residential aged care home. That proposal was subsequently withdrawn.
Uniting has now returned with a revised proposal, prepared by Willowtree Planning and designed by Architectus. The development, estimated to cost $446 million (excluding GST) by MBM, comprises four buildings, including two rising to 41.8 metres.
The proposal includes:
- 235 Independent Living Units, including 23 affordable housing units;
- A clubroom, gym, swimming pool and cinema;
- A 90-place residential aged care home, including consulting rooms and staff administration areas;
- A salon, café, and chapel;
- Basement car parking comprising approximately 328 car parking spaces.
Uniting now has four approved SSDs:
- Its biggest project in history, the $500 million redevelopment of the War Memorial Hospital in Waverley, 7km east of Sydney’s CBD;
- The $233 million Uniting Kingscliff redevelopment in the NSW Northern Rivers region;
- The $200 million redevelopment of Wesley Gardens residential aged care home in Belrose, into an intergenerational health precinct; and
- The $300 million continuum of care development in Charlestown, Lake Macquarie, that will support over 350 seniors.
