Retirement villages booming

The Avenues Retirement Village is set to expand across this section. Photo/John Borren

Tauranga's booming retirement village sector is getting another multi-million dollar boost by the expansion of The Avenues Retirement Village to provide a care facility for residents.

Metlifecare managing director Alan Edwards said they were in the process of preparing a resource consent application for the additions, which will include the construction of more apartments.

The development would be built on the vacant site on the corner of 10th Ave and Norris St, which was owned by Metlifecare, and would complete the development of the block.

Mr Edwards declined to go into detail of what was planned until consent had been obtained, except to say The Avenues was expanding its level of service so people would not need to leave the village for long-term care.

Elsewhere in the city, the retirement village industry is going from strength to strength.

The first home has just been completed at the new $140 million Bethlehem Shores village development, with two more under construction and 10 planned to be finished by the end of the year. Bethlehem Shores' sister village, the $54 million Bethlehem Country Club, has two more villas under way and another starting soon.

The $120 million Bob Owens Retirement Village continues its rapid expansion, with the council recently signing off an apartment block worth $1.44 million.

Stage nine of Pyes Pa's Althorpe Village is also selling well, with eight licences-to-occupy left to sell from the 23 new homes.

Pyes Pa's other big village, Copper Crest, has just completed its $4.2 million retirement centre, which opens to residents on Monday.

Building is well advanced on the other half of Bernadette Lifecare's hospital in Arataki worth $2.25 million.