St Clair: Plans for $34m aged care facility rejected by Penrith Council

Plans for a $34m aged care home in have been refused by a western Sydney council following a series of setbacks including ‘dangerous carparks’ and the discovery of asbestos contaminated material.

Artist’s impression of an aerial view of the proposed development.

Plans for a $34m aged care home in St Clair have been shelved after a series of setbacks including asbestos contamination and “dangerous” car parks with Penrith Council refusing the proposal after flagging multiple concerns.

The proposal, put forward by Opal HealthCare in August 2021, sought permission for the construction of a two-storey residential care facility comprising of 153 aged care beds, an allied health centre, nursing station, consultation rooms, hair salon, and cafe.

A planner said the facility would “meet the growing need for seniors housing in St Clair” by providing a “high-quality, high-amenity, well-designed, 24/7 residential care facility which will “meet contemporary seniors housing standards”.

During the planning stages Penrith Council raised six different objections to the plans, and said it became concerned at the length of time it took to resolve each one.

A detailed site investigation also revealed contaminated material had been discovered.

Artist impression of the front entry to the aged care facility. Picture: BBC Consultations

Buried asbestos containing material was found — in the form of bonded fibre cement sheeting fragments — and is thought to have come from past demolition works.

An investigation conducted on behalf of Opal HealthCare found a remedial action plan with off-site disposal of the material would be required before the site would be considered suitable.

Among the objections raised by council were unsatisfactory landscaping, “dangerous” car parks in “very poor locations” and a potential lack of privacy between residents’ bedrooms.

Council papers state while it was possible for the issues to be resolved there had not been enough progress made to justify council allowing further time for plan revisions.

A spokeswoman for Opal HealthCare said St Clair Grove Care Community had been “custom-designed” and would provide “much needed support for the ageing population of Western Sydney.”

“We are disappointed that the development application was not approved and will continue to work closely with Penrith Council to achieve a successful outcome and to serve the community of St Clair with high quality residential care for older people,” they said.