Life care plans five-storey aged care development at Everard Park, but neighbours think it is too high
Plans for a five-storey aged care redevelopment in a quiet suburban street is causing some disquiet with the neighbours.
West & Beaches
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An aged care provider, which was publicly condemned over proposed high-rise buildings in Adelaide’s east, wants to build up to five storeys in a quiet southern suburbs neighbourhood upsetting residents.
Life Care is trying to rezone its Parkrose Village home at Everard Park so it can replace the existing 1960s single-storey property with a modern higher-density development on a 2ha site in between Norman Tce and Ross St, opposite the Black Forest tram stop.
But Life Care’s ambition for the inner city site, just 3km from the CBD, have raised concerns from neighbouring residents and architects Anne Taylor and Michael Buchtmann who say the project would be out of scale in a residential area currently zoned for up to two storeys.
A concept plan, obtained by The Advertiser, shows that the development would feature two storey buildings along Ross Street and Fourth Ave and two five-storey buildings set back along Norman Tce.
According to the concept plan, contained in a traffic report, the aged care beds would increase from 69 to 90 and independent living units from 46 to 120 with an additional 16 assisted living apartments.
The project would also feature a clubhouse, community facilities and entry plaza on Norman Tce.
Mr Buchtmann and Ms Taylor, who live next to the existing village, said they and a neighbour had been approached by Life Care to sell their houses.
Ms Taylor, who said she did not oppose higher-density housing in the “right location”, believed that five storeys in the area was “too much” and was not in keeping with the low-density nature of the area.
“We are generally in favour of increased density but we are not sure this is a particularly good way to go,” she said.
They also questioned the potential impact on traffic in the area. A consultant’s traffic report said the redevelopment would have minimal impact on Norman Tce and negligible increases in traffic in Ross St and Fourth Ave.
In a statement, sent via PR agency Communikate, Life Care’s chief executive Allen Candy said the existing property did not enable the company to meet demand in “inner-city areas” for “contemporary seniors accommodation”.
“Delivering a modern campus with a mix of living options with the complementary support facilities that the community would expect in the 2020s and beyond is not possible within the current zoning of the Everard Park site,” he said.
“The Everard Park area currently contains developments of varying heights, including two and three storey units along Norman Terrace.
“We are very mindful that any future development of our site must be appropriate and takes into account the views of the community.”
Life Care refined redevelopment plans in 2017 for sites at Joslin, Glen Osmond and Beulah Park after community campaign against buildings of up to seven storeys.
The outcry led to then Opposition Leader Steven Marshall promising if elected his party would strictly enforce building height limits for new suburban developments.
Life Care is funding Unley Council to undertake the rezoning process. The amendments to the planning are out for public consultation until January 16. Planning Minister Stephan Knoll has ultimate sign-off on any rezoning.