Consent granted for new retirement village
Monday 12 October
Waipa District Council has granted consent for a new retirement village and childcare centre in Cambridge.
The $100 million plus development by Te Awa Lifecare Village Ltd will include 130 care beds, 131 villas, 170 serviced apartments and a childcare centre catering for up to 50 children. It will house around 579 permanent residents and employ up to 200 staff.
Construction will begin early next year, after the Cambridge Expressway is open, and is expected to be completed in six stages over 10 years. The village will be built on the southern side of Cambridge Road (also known as SH1), east of the Avantidrome. Access will be via a new intersection on the site's western boundary.
The resource consent application was heard and granted by a hearings panel comprising Waipa hearing commissioners, and local councillors, Bruce Thomas, Marcus Gower, Clare St Pierre and Liz Stolwyk plus independent hearing commissioner Alan Withy.
Following lodgement in late 2013 the application was on hold during 2014 while a detailed scoping report was undertaken to consider infrastructure for the development and surrounding area. Following that investigation the application was publicly notified early 2015 and it received 30 submissions.
A number of conditions will ensure archaeological and heritage matters are preserved. Te Awa must protect and commemorate an existing historic pa site on the land and are also required to retain and upgrade Arnold House, a registered heritage cottage on the site. This work will be done in association with Heritage New Zealand, Ngati Koroki Kahukura Trust and Ngati Haua Iwi Trust.
Conditions have also been included for protection of the Waikato River which borders the site. The existing Te Awa River Ride already traverses the site boundary.
Te Awa will also need to ensure future water, wastewater and stormwater services plus roads can be provided for on the surrounding land.
Chair of the hearings panel Bruce Thomas said the development would provide significant economic benefit to the district and will help address the housing needs for an aging population. By 2033, more than one third of Waipa's population will be aged over 65, increasing to 43 per cent by 2063.
This will provide significant employment opportunities and that will have a flow-on effect into Cambridge and beyond, he said.
We are confident that the conditions imposed will ensure the best possible archaeological outcomes and will in fact protect some important historical sites in the district.
Details of the resource consent application, and the full report and decision of the Hearing Commissioners is on the council's website, www.waipadc.govt.nz/TeAwaLifecare.
For more information, contact:
Natalie Palmer, 027 807 3174