Keppel Developments propose over 55s village at Taroomball, Yeppoon

A 286-home development with community facilities has been proposed as a solution to help the housing crisis across Queensland.

Plans have been lodged for an over 55s village on the corner of Taranganba Road and Carige Boulevard at Taroomball.

Plans for an over 55s village with 286 homes on the Capricorn Coast near Rockhampton has been proposed as a solution to help the housing crisis across Queensland.

Keppel Developments, a well-established company based in the Rockhampton region, have released plans to build a purpose-built residential park with two-bedroom homes, a clubhouse and community facilities, targeted towards the over 50s age group.

The development would be built over 28 hectares of land on Carige Boulevard and Taranganba Road at Taroomball, across from Sea Haven Estate, and would cover 15.51 hectares, the equivalent to 54 per cent of the site.

The subject site is over 28 hectares on Carige Boulevard in Taroomball on the Capricorn Coast.

The site is near the Taranganba schools and childcare centres, 2km from the Capricorn Tavern and an eight minute drive to the Yeppoon CBD.

Part of the site has been cleared in the past and it is generally maintained as a grass paddock, with some vegetation regenerated.

Ross Creek also traverses the site, snaking along Carige Boulevard, which will be completely preserved.

The development will mainly be over the area that has been used as cattle grazing.

The site has previous approval from 2021 for up to 47 residential lots.

The planning report submitted to Livingstone Shire Council states there is an “identified crisis in land and housing availability across Queensland”, which has created flow-on effects, driving up rental and property prices.

“The proposed use subject of this application may in fact be a solution to, or at least a step toward a solution for this crisis,” the report states.

“The use is identified as part of the Queensland Government’s ongoing strategy to deliver more affordable housing as highlighted in the Queensland Housing Strategy 2017-2027, and the Housing and Homelessness Strategy Plan 2021-2025.”

While this type of development technically falls under the Relocatable Home Park category, it would be a “ a purpose-built residential park, offering 286 manufactured home sites with its own private road network and community facilities”.

There would be no live-in caravans or tents and it is more similar to a private gated estate.

Similar images of homes at over 55s villages to the Taroomball development.

The homes will be designed with a range of styles and facades to appear as residential homes.

Each home will have two bedrooms, a study, a kitchen, a laundry and a living, along with a private open space area and a single or double garage.

The lots will range from 200 sqm to 260 sqm, with variances for corner sites.

There will also be a manager’s residence of similar design and size.

The development would remain on one title with lease/rental agreements for each home.

The community facilities will include a men’s shed, restaurant/cafe, cinema, function room, pool, gymnasium at the northern end, near the main entry.

The concept master plan for the over 55s village at Taroomball.

There will also be recreational vehicle parking for 30 caravans and eight vehicles at the southern end.

A shuttle bus service will also be provided for residents to Yeppoon town centre, Rosslyn Bay, golf club and various other locations along the Capricorn Coast.

A temporary clubhouse will be provided until the permanent facilities are constructed.

The permanent clubhouse is planned for stage three, at the earliest.

Concept plans for the clubhouse at the over 55s village.

Hundreds of pages have been submitted to council with the development application, including bushfire and ecology assessments.

It is noted the site layout has been designed with fire hazards and vegetation setbacks in mind.

Access to the development would be from Carige Boulevard with a new road to be constructed between the Carige Boulevard and Havenwood Drive roundabout and the site entry.

The development would have an internal road network and will be subject to low travel speed and signed as a shared zone.

MORE OVER 55s VILLAGES

Another over 55s village has been approved (in April 2023) 2km down the road from the Keppel Developments’ site.

The other one is for 291 homes in a resort style gated community at 4 Tanby Road, Taroomball.

There are also plans proposed for 392 homes and a further 130-lot residential subdivision for 73 Limestone Creek Road, Inverness, adjoining St Brendan’s College.

It was however refused at a council meeting on November 23.

Aaron Solito was granted approval in February for his $150 million-dollar Lifestyles By The Beach development, an over 50s lifestyle village with 319 homes, community centre, cinema, sauna, indoor heated pool, bowling green, billiards room, tennis court and more.

The development would be located at 78 Svendsen Road, Zilzie.

Originally published as Keppel Developments propose over 55s village at Taroomball, Yeppoon