Metlifecare wants to demolish apartments for new build, residents still in block

Plans for Metlifecare's new building replacing Raukura, 7 Saint Vincent, Remuera.

Privately owned retirement giant Metlifecare’s plans for a new private hospital at an established Remuera retirement village have been notified, allowing public input, yet residents remain in the 17-unit block it needs to demolish.

Auckland Council is seeking input on the redevelopment of the 7 Saint Vincent village, the boutique apartment complex which is 100m off Remuera Rd, opposite Remuera Library.

Feedback must be in by August 28 via the submissions on a resource consent application form. Those can be mailed or dropped into service centres which include libraries.

Metlifecare wants to demolish its existing southern apartment building for a five-storey block with 43 suites for hospital-level care, 10 apartment and communal facilities.

Trees will be removed from the 1.4ha site where the new Raukura building is planned. The building now known under that name will be demolished for the new 53-unit block with a basement for 18 car parks, 13 bike parks, waste and electrical facilities.

A spokesperson said the council had confirmed the resource consent application for the redevelopment would proceed with limited notification.

That process has begun, and the submission process will run from July 31 to August 28.

“Based on this timeframe, and previous experience, we would expect a resource consent decision from the duty commissioner later this year,” a company spokeswoman said.

“We continue to work with a small number of residents who remain in the Raukura building who we would need to relocate for the redevelopment of the building to proceed. In addition to obtaining resource consent and building consent,” she said.

A suitable arrangement was needed for relocation with those residents and until that happens, “we are unable to commence the project”.

“We therefore cannot confirm a start date at this point, but Metlifecare remains committed to investing in 7 Saint Vincent Village for the long-term benefit of current and future residents,” the spokeswoman said.

The building site is part of a larger holding that has four existing multi-storey buildings.

The existing Raukura at 7 Saint Vincent in Remuera.

The existing 17-unit block is two to three storeys and also contains village amenities like the main reception.

Even though people still live there and have objected to going, Metlifecare says in its application it will be demolished “to facilitate development of the new building”.

The new building will be 21m high at its tallest point. The ground floor will have administration, management and sales offices, bathroom, cleaning amenities, staff room, primary kitchen, lounge and dining room, bar and cafe.

A new area for billiards, media, library, gym, wellness hub and additional area for activities will be within that new block along with a pool, spa and changing rooms.

Level two will have 21 care suites or hospital-style rooms from 32sq m to 39 sq m, a dining room, lounge, library and communal terrace and sales meeting room.

Level three will have 23 more care suites 28sq m to 40sq m each.

Levels four and five will have independent apartments, which will include four two-bedroom units and be 112sq m to 156sq m.

Some people living at the lush, sub-tropically planted village have expressed concern about years of construction noise and nuisance when they moved there for peace and quiet - and although they could stay at the same village, the disruption is a concern to them.

Metlifecare, which has around 36 villages, told the Herald in March it understands some residents “simply don’t like the proposition of having to live through any site development, at all, ever”.

But it said it can legally do what it’s planning.

“As the village operator, we do have rights to redevelop the site within the terms of the occupational right agreement signed by each resident, but of course we are very respectful of managing the wellbeing of our residents as best we can during the redevelopment process,” a Metlifecare spokeswoman said.

A big list of documents has been lodged on Auckland Council’s website under publicly notified resource consent applications open for public submissions.

An assessment of environmental effects, architectural plans, acoustic report, arborist report, geotech investigation report, groundwater assessment, infrastructure report, iwi consultation, landscape design report, rules assessment, title and interest, transport report, cultural values assessment, updated architectural plans, acoustic response, traffic response, traffic conflict model, civil memo, updated cut fill plan, fire hydrant report, topographical survey, geotechnical memo, waste management plan, affected party approval, written approval from 6 Clonbern Rd, tree removal plan, tree removal schedule, landscape assessment, planner response letter, revised landscape plan, shading studies, updated acoustic assessments in February, March and June, updated traffic assessment in June and updated visual assessment in March are all online.

Drawings have been prepared by Warren & Mahoney.

Eke Panuku Development Auckland signed the affected person’s form for the property at 6 Clonbern Rd. In 2019, the council agreed to sell that property which had a multi-level car parking building. That form noted the Metlifecare proposal needed resource consent due to non-compliance via infringements to the terrace housing and apartment building zone development standards as well as associated enabling works.

“Panuku are the owner of the adjoining site to the west located at 6 Clonbern Rd,” an accompanying letter from the agency said.

“This site forms part of our Auckland property portfolio and is located adjacent to the proposed SSV building. Having reviewed the proposed drawings by Warren & Mahoney Architects, we confirm that Panuku are supportive of this project by Metlifecare and do not have any objection to the proposal,” a letter from head of planning and consents Vrinda Moghe said.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 23 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.