South Australian-based developer Kirkbride Architects has its sights on regional Queensland with plans to build a 100-bed aged care home in the state’s Wide Bay district.
Kirkbride Architects have asked Gympie Regional Council to approve plans for a vacant 1.2ha block of land at the intersection of Copp and Ramsay Roads in the town’s CBD and close to the local hospital.
The proposed project is a single-story centre able to cater for 100 beds.
It would be Kirkbride Architects first aged care development in Queensland, adding to a portfolio of three aged care facilities in South Australia.
The proposed centre would have 40 parking spaces, including two for disabled access, with access from both streets.
A men’s shed is also part of the plan.
The developer said the centre would “support and provide additional housing choice for Gympie’s older residents”.
The project has prompted the council to request more information on the centre’s setback position from the roads and how it may impact neighbouring residences before a decision can be made, according to The Gympie Times.
Aged care has been identified as one of the region’s upcoming growth industries; the region’s median age has risen at more than four times the Queensland average, shifting from 41.8 years in 2008 to 46.6 years in 2018, according to the publication.
