Lourdes Retirement Village Killara in huge expansion plan

A north shore retirement village would be transformed into a six storey complex with units, townhouses and a new aged care facility under new plans for the site.

More than 140 units, a new aged care home and residential townhouses are part of a multimillion-dollar expansion of one of the north shore’s largest retirement and aged care complexes.

Lourdes Retirement Village has released new plans to redevelop its Killara site in a move designed to meet growing demand for seniors accommodation on the upper north shore.

The development would include 141 independent living units and a 110-bed aged care facility on the northern half of the site.

An artist impression of the development.

The plans include communal areas.

Sixty-three medium density townhouses would also be built on the southern half of the site.

The proposal represents a massive expansion of the 5.25ha estate which currently has an 83 bed aged care home, 49 serviced apartments and 108 independent living units.

Plans by developer Stockland show buildings would stand up to six storeys tall topping 22m – more than double Ku-ring-gai Council’s current 9.5m limit.

A concept plan of the development.

The development would include a new swimming pool.

Other features of the redevelopment include landscaping works, 1400 sqm of communal space, new internal roadways, a community centre, swimming pool, a pavilion for outdoor functions and 398 carparks. 

Stockland said the project would bring the facility into the modern era with many of the current buildings, dating back to 1983, lacking amenities such as lifts and in “need of significant renewal to provide modern seniors housing.”

The renewal is also aimed at providing new housing for the north shore’s growing and ageing population with State Government modelling showing the number of people in Sydney’s north aged above 85 is expected to increase by 85 per cent by 2036.

An aerial view of the site.

A concept plan of the development.

“More diverse housing types and medium density housing, as well as the design of walkable neighbourhoods, will create opportunities for older people to continue living in their community, where being close to family, friends and established health and support networks improves people’s wellbeing,” the plans stated.

Plans have been in the works since 2018 when a rezoning review was considered by the Sydney North Planning Panel.

An overview of the development.

The early plans prompted a list of objections by Ku-ring-gai Council due to concerns including bushfire risks, limited access to public transport and heritage impacts.

Stockland said new plans have responded to concerns including adding bus stops with plans also including the potential for a community bus to transport residents from the site to local services.

It has included added emergency management and evacuation planning into the proposal.

The plans are currently under assessment by the Department of Planning.