Helping Hand retirement village redvelopment refused
A $4 million plan to redevelop Helping Hand’s North Adelaide retirement village has been knocked back by Adelaide City Council’s planning panel.
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Helping Hand’s plan to spend $4 million redeveloping its retirement village in North Adelaide has been rejected by Adelaide City Council’s planning panel.
The aged-care provider had wanted to demolish two buildings, at 157-159 Childers St and 38-44 Buxton St, to make way for nine, two-storey apartments.
The panel’s chair, Mark Adcock, used his casting vote to reject the application amid concerns about open space, the development’s bulk, traffic and landscaping.
The redeveloped retirement village would have been next to Helping Hand’s complex on Buxton St, where dementia patient Anne Gibson went missing from and then later drowned in a neighbour’s pool seven months ago.
A council report said the development was at odds with the historic character of Childers St.
Panel member Colleen Dunn said the development needed at least 50 per cent of landscaped open space and the application only had 21 per cent.
“It also looks like landscaping at the rear will be driven over (and) there is no room for trees,” Ms Dunn said.
“I understand it is retirement housing … but people who are living here still like to potter and plant and do these things outside.”
She also worried access cabs would struggle to access the property.
An earlier plan by Helping Hand for a new retirement village was knocked back in December 2018 amid heritage concerns.
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At the meeting last night, neighbour Jim Hurst, also speaking on behalf of his daughter Jacqui Griffin, was concerned about overlooking and security.
“But we also believe with a few small sensible changes to plans … and further consideration to neighbouring properties, our privacy … will be adequately protected without compromising the function of the new development,” Mr Hurst said.
Access Planning spokesman Adam Williams, on behalf of Helping Hand, said the company had come up with ways to improve overlooking since its first application and was willing to find further ways to alleviate concerns, like more screening.
“(The applicant) has come up with a high-quality design to service clients to the best of (its) abilities, but also come up with a design that shows respect and consideration to existing heritage building and streetscape,” Mr Williams said.
Helping Hand was contacted for further comment.
Helping Hand can appeal the panel’s decision in the Environment, Resources & Development Court.