Summerset bids to build retirement village in Melbourne seaside suburb

The New Zealand continuum of care operator is seeking State Government permission to add to its portfolio of retirement village sites in Victoria.

Summerset Group applied to the Victorian Government’s Development Facilitation Program in November last year to build on the site of six residential homes in Mornington, the seaside suburb 46km southeast of Melbourne’s CBD.

The site would include:

• 80 independent living units (ILUs) and 64 residential townhouses; and
• 77 aged care beds and 15 assisted living apartments.

Planning consultant Urbis is acting for Summerset. The Planning Panel’s findings were broadly supportive of the proposed rezoning of the land from Low Density Residential Zone to Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule.

“The proposal provides housing for approximately 300 residents through an array of accommodation typologies and built form including aged care and independent living units,” Urbis said in a report to the State Government.

“The average age of a resident in a Summerset facility is 83 years. As such, the Summerset model through the provision of independent living to aged care, including memory support households and assisted living units provides the range of services, amenity and living arrangements to support people in this age group.

“Summerset’s role is more than just a developer and operator of retirement villages. It supports housing affordability, efficient healthcare, positive ageing, ageing in place, a safer community, and provides economic benefit to the broader community.”

The community engagement period closed on 31 January 2026.

Summerset also confirmed it has begun construction on its fourth village, which is located in Oakleigh South, 17km southeast of Melbourne’s CBD, with a sod turning event to celebrate the occasion held in November last year.

In addition, the first villas at its Chirnside Park village will be completed with first residents to be welcomed in the second quarter of 2026 when the village officially opens. 

Summerset has four villages in development in Victoria (Cranbourne North, Chirnside Park, Torquay and Oakleigh South) and owns three other proposed sites in Craigieburn, Drysdale and Mernda.