Uniting begins $148M redevelopment of integrated site approved in 2022

Residents have been relocated for Stage One of a major redevelopment of the Not For Profit’s Nareen Gardens retirement village and aged care home in Bateau Bay, on the NSW Central Coast.

Uniting NSW.ACT’s Head of Property Development Adrian Ciano said stage one, comprising 76 independent living units, could take up to two years to complete.

The second stage, which is likely to take another two years to finish, will comprise another 106 independent living units and a 160-bed aged care home.

“This project’s been a long haul for everybody, and we obviously understand these things have an impact on people … and we are thankful that with all the hard work, we think it’s a balanced outcome,” Adrian said.

A community drop-in session will be held on Thursday, 22 January, from 5pm to 7pm in Gordon Dodd Hall at Nareen Gardens, where Uniting representatives will share more details about the construction work and how it will be managed.

Those who cannot attend can contact Uniting for information on 1800 864 846 or email ask@uniting.org.

The original DA was lodged with Central Coast Council in 2021 for a redevelopment with 160 residential care places plus 232 independent living units across six multi-storey blocks.

Following community consultation, Uniting scaled back the project by about 20% by removing one building completely, removing the top floors from three buildings and reducing the size of another two buildings.

In November 2022, following these modifications, the Regional Planning Panel approved the 182 independent living units (some of which are classified as affordable housing) and the 160-bed aged care home.

The project joins a pipeline of more than $1 billion of approved developments across Uniting’s seniors living portfolio.

On 17 December, its biggest ever project, the $500 million redevelopment of Waverley Estate, was approved. Also set to go ahead are:

• the first stage of its new Shellharbour development in the NSW Illawarra;
• the $233 million Uniting Kingscliff redevelopment in the NSW Northern River region; and
• its $300 million 400-bed continuum of care development in Charlestown, Newcastle.