Redhead Retirement Village resident fights for compensation over construction works
Shirley Bell, 87, is fighting for compensation over ‘horrendous’ construction works — part of an expansion project — at the Redhead Retirement Village.
Newcastle
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When Shirley Bell moved into the Redhead Retirement Village in 2014 there was no talk of expansion.
The 87-year-old’s husband died four years ago and was at the nursing home on Redhead Rd, partly the reason why she moved in, wanting to be close to where he spent his final days.
But these days, the peace she once had, is now gone.
“The time I have got left, I just want to live it in peace and quiet and be given a fair go,” Ms Bell said.
Whiddon’s Redhead aged care expansion project, which kicked off in 2017, is set to provide much needed residential aged care places for the region to help cater for current and future aged care needs.
Once completed, the project will see an additional 115 residential aged care places.
The project includes a new two-storey aged care home, refurbishment and expansion of the existing home, a new dementia specific unit, eight new household-living clusters and will also deliver a clubhouse, bowling green, new cafe and relaxing outdoor spaces.
While Ms Bell isn’t opposed to the expansions, constant works, machinery and workmen have now become a big part of her life.
She has called for compensation for residents who are suffering this major inconvenience, and said if she had known this was set to take place, she never would have moved here.
“In my contract there is nothing to say this construction would be in my lifetime here,” Ms Bell added.
“It has been a great disadvantage, the noise as you can tell is horrendous.
“The Whiddon people have just ignored my requests for compensation, it’s our day to day living disrupted, privacy is gone.
“It will be bad enough because the building going up in front of my house, it looks straight into my unit.
“It is the principle.”
She has been offered to move to a retirement village in Belmont but being where her husband was last, and now all her friends here, she doesn’t want to move.
“They decided that I could move to Belmont, but I was quite adamant that wasn’t going to fix the problem,” she said.
“At my age it is detrimental to move from place to place, it is a well know fact, people become deteriorated and they become on the way to dementia and I’m not prepared to do that.
“The ongoing costs which we pay monthly, I felt there could of been a reduction in those or even completely stopped while this is going on.
“On the contract there is a direct question to the operators if they intend to put any facilities on here and it is no.”
Ms Bell has had several discussions with operator Whiddon, the Department of Fair trading and had contact with the Retirement Village Residents Association (RVRA) but hasn’t had much luck in getting any resolution.
“Here I am on my own and I’m not just fighting for me but most people in this village,” Ms Bell explained.
“Most people here feel the same way.
“Whiddon won’t pay any compensation, they said I need to go to a solicitor but that it will be costly.
“It’s just a big change of lifestyle.”
In a statement to The Newcastle News, Whiddon said it had consulted residents during the projects planning stage and as the project had progressed, with any concerns raised, to be addressed.
They noted they’ve taken appropriate actions to minimise impacts and provide regular and advanced notice for any significant construction activities.
The operator has also offered a thorough clean of village units on a number of occasions and offers to residents to move one of their nearby villages.
Whiddon’s Executive General Manager Property, Regan Stathers said, “We remain committed to listening and acting on any concerns by residents, with strong importance on the wellbeing of residents.
“Following feedback, Whiddon has altered the original building design plans to incorporate additional screening, new landscaping and plantings to enhance the privacy of units which were agreed to have the most impact from the development.”