Lifeview aged-care facility could rise on the site of the Wheelers View development

A $50m apartment development in Melbourne’s east may have fallen through, but the new owner has other plans for the corner site.

The Wheelers View apartment site has been sold and could become an aged care facility. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

AN AGED-CARE residential complex could rise on a prominent Wheelers Hill site, ending a six-year development saga.

It is understood aged care provider, Lifeview, bought the 8106sq m corner site at 161-169 Jells Rd for $13.5 million, prior to the scheduled auction on April 20.

Owner Nidal Ammache, of Ammache Architects, had plans for a 131-apartment development at the site but was unable to fund the $50 million project.

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He told the Monash Leader in March that he had been looking for a “bigger” developer to take on the landmark development.

He said he was sad to see his project unfulfilled and had spent significant capital trying to get it off the ground.

Mr Ammache offered buyers their deposits back on the apartments.

Lifeview also has a 60-bed facility, The Willows, just up the road at 171-175 Jells Rd.

The council issued a permit for the development, to be known as Wheelers View, in 2010 and extended the permit three times with building to have started last September.

Real estate companies CBRE and KBL Commercial were involved in selling the site.

Monash Mayor Stefanie Perri said the council had not received any new plans for the site as of April 11.

The council refused a planning application for a nine-storey building with 111 apartments, five townhouses and a carpark in 2004.

A retirement village was also earmarked for the site in 2006.

Lifeview and Mr Ammache were contacted for comment but did not respond.