$55m aged care project approved

Southern Cross Care WA’s proposal for a six-storey aged care facility in Jolimont, located within the Parkside Walk precinct, has been given the green light. 

The not-for-profit organisation lodged plans for a new $55 million facility in June, proposing 44 residential aged care units and 75 independent living units, an ancillary cafe, as well as a resident-only gym.

The development, designed by architecture practice Silver Thomas Hanley, also features 109 car parking bays, 11 motorcycle bays, seven gopher bays and 46 bicycle bays.

The Joint Development Assessment Panel has now approved the project, which was defined as a nursing care home in the agenda and minutes and is planned for two separate lots – lot 29 and 31 - within the urban infill project, Parkside Walk.

The lots are 2,347 square metres and 2,413sqm in size, and were both purchased by Southern Cross Care in 2018 for $8.9 million, according to CoreLogic.

Business News sought comment from Southern Cross Care.

The Parkside Walk project is a joint-initiative by DevelopmentWA and the Town of Cambridge that aimed to redevelop land that had been vacant since 1994 into a residential estate.

The Parkside Walk estate. Image: DevelopmentWA. 

Iris Residential secured lot 25 in 2018, with construction on its $55 million 46-apartment project, designed by Cameron Chisholm Nicol, expected for completion this year.

Lots 26,27 and 28 are owned by Stirling Capital, which broke ground on its $42 million project last year. The MJA Studio-designed development features 49 apartments.

Giorgi Group owns lot number 30 and received approval for its 17 grouped dwellings in May this year.

The last lots to be sold at Parkside Walk were lots 29, 30 and 31. Image: realestate.com.au 

The company lodged a formal presentation against Southern Cross Care’s proposal, saying the building bulk would impact heavily on its own development.

Business News sought comment from Giorgi Group.

Comments from Giorgi Group managing director Guido Giorgi included in the JDAP agenda outlined what he referred to as the ‘white elephant in the room’.

“I’m here to highlight the white elephant in the room. It appears to have been overlooked by both the town of Cambridge and the DRP,” the presentation said.

“These lots were created as two separate green title lots. By the shape of these two lots it is highly unlikely it was ever envisaged that an amalgamation of the lots could be contemplated with a six level building straddling across these lots.

“When we purchased our adjoining Lot 30 we did not contemplate this scenario.”

Mr Giorgi pointed to the ground floor plan of Southern Cross Care’s development.

“Don’t be fooled by the apparent space and distance separation to our adjoining lot,” the presentation said.  

“This floor plan fails to show the necessary heavy dotted plan of the building bulk that exists over which impacts heavily on our development. Furthermore, you will fail to see on this plan and all other plans any dimension which indicates the proposed setback of the six-level building at the nearest point to our adjoining lot.

“We implore JDAP to address the white elephant in the room.”

The JDAP approved Southern Cross Care’s proposal, the minutes stating that the proposed development was considered to meet the planning framework for the site.

The JDAP also moved a motion to approve an amendment of condition 17, which stated the two lots needed to be amalgamated prior to a building permit being issued.

That amalgamation was now occurring prior to occupation, which it said was needed to reflect the significant timeframes associated with amalgamation.

“The building design, scale and configuration created through the unusual triangular shape of the site provides well designed street facades,” the JDAP outlined in the minutes.

“The materials, finishes and landscaping are considered a positive contribution to the area. The screening treatments have appropriately addressed the privacy.

“Overall, the proposal is considered a high-quality development with a mix of residential types that facilitate ageing in place. Vehicle access and drop off arrangement reflects the differing residents and visitors' needs.”