RetireAustralia officially opens $30m Stage 1 of The Verge at Burleigh G.C retirement village

The first stage of a vertical retirement village featuring high-end apartments with expansive views of the Burleigh Golf Club officially opened on Wednesday.

THE first stage of a vertical retirement village featuring high-end apartments with expansive views of the Burleigh Golf Club officially opened this week.

Stage 1 of The Verge at Burleigh G.C was completed in March and has 40 apartments and penthouses designed by specialist senior living architects.

Maurice and Pauline Dean were the first to move into a two-bedroom apartment in the $30 million building.

Mrs Dean said the apartments were designed with ageing in mind.

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“This is really important to us as my husband has Parkinson’s disease, but we have all the support and care we need right here,” she said.

“The staff are just wonderful, so helpful and always there when you need them.”

She said they were attracted to The Verge’s location, amenities and “village community”.

The Verge is RetireAustralia’s first staged vertical retirement village and the only one in Queensland with both a Green Star and Gold Australian Liveable Housing design accreditation.

RetireAustralia CEO Brett Robinson said The Verge was designed to adapt to the needs of its residents.

“I’m really proud of The Verge and how much the new residents already feel a sense of home, community and ownership,” Mr Robinson said.

“It’s important for me to see our residents receiving the quality care they deserve.

“It’s exciting to watch The Verge community grow and we look forward to welcoming more residents over the coming months.”

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Construction of Stage 2 of The Verge is planned to start later this year and will include 66 independent living apartments plus ground floor community spaces. It will be home to more than 100 residents once sold out.

Council back proposal for retirement village to be built at Burleigh Golf Club

April 24, 2018

THE council’s planning committee has backed a proposal for a multi-level retirement village and wellness centre on the Burleigh Golf Club course.

But despite overwhelmingly supporting the plan councillors have flagged they intend to support preserving the city’s golf courses from residential development.

Robina-based councillor Hermann Vorster told the meeting: “My strong feeling as a council is we ought to preserve aggressively our golf courses.

“I would normally have apprehension about any development whatsoever occurring on a golf course. What I like about this particular development is there is no impact on the course itself.”

GCS PHOTO: Burleigh Golf Club.

Officers recommended approval for the project but the conditions will include reducing the size of one of three buildings, the closest near residential homes.

The first 25 per cent of that building will be reduced by two storeys to four storeys, and the second 25 per cent by one storey making it five storey development.

The balance of the project will remain six but the aim is to preserve the view for nearby residents.

The development will include just more than 170 units, an ancillary cafe, medical centre and shop.

An officer’s report said the Burleigh Golf Club would lease the golf club land over a 102 years to Retire Australia Pty Ltd “resulting in a financial gain” for members.

About 16,000 sqm or 3.33 per cent of the golf course is needed, a key factor in all councillors at the planning meeting today supporting the project which still needs to be passed by full council.

Acting Mayor Donna Gates strongly urged councillors to support the officer’s recommendations and was supported by area councillor Pauline Young who spoke of the need for older residents at Burleigh to “age in place”.

Council received 94 objections and eight properties near the proposed development will be impacted by traffic and noise but the push for approval was due to suburbs like Burleigh lacking open space for retirement facilities.

Planning committee chairman Cameron Caldwell during the meeting admitted he was “highly suspicious” about an application for land on a green space but was hopeful the development would provide financial stability for the golf club.

GCS PHOTO: Burleigh Golf Club.

Councillor Pauline Young is not on the planning committee and unable to vote but indicated she will support the application at full council.

“I believe hopefully it will be the right outcome for the whole of the community,” Cr Young said, outside the council meeting.

Only three per cent of the golf course along an unused section would be required, she said.

About 40 per cent of the local population was aged between 65 to 79 years and the development would provide them with much needed retirement facilities.

“It allows them to age in place,” Cr Young said.