Wanaka’s existing retirement villages in Meadowstone and Cardrona Valley Rd are fully subscribed and plans are afoot for expansion to meet demand.
The Otago Daily Times recently reported Metlifecare intended to build a $200 million retirement complex at Three Parks.
The first stage would open in 2025, pending design and resource consent approvals.
Last year, Winton Group obtained fast-track resource consent for the $250 million Northbrook luxury complex and aims to open its first stage in the Northlake subdivision in 2024.
Presbyterian Support financial director Andrew Borthwick said plans and resource consent applications were being finalised for 10 additional dwellings at the Wanaka Retirement Village, which already has 14 villas, three cottages and 11 apartments.
The Presbyterian Support Otago/Aspiring Enliven joint venture also offers a total of 83 rest-home/aged care rooms across Elmslie House in Meadowstone and Aspiring Enliven in Cardrona Valley Rd.
Aspiring Lifestyle Retirement Village chief executive Aaron Armstrong confirmed plans to build another 24 luxury apartments and 24 assisted living apartments at its village on Cardrona Valley Rd. Aspiring Lifestyle already has 124 villas and 16 apartments.
Once the new apartment projects were completed, the village would have reached its resource consent and land capacity within 13 years, he said.
Mr Armstrong said larger centres were building 300 or more units but Aspiring Lifestyle had developed in line with expectations in 2010.
"For us, it will be about the right size village," he said.
Retirees could now expect to pay about $650,000 for a Wanaka Retirement Village villa or just under $400,000 for an apartment, depending on the size of the unit, Mr Borthwick said.
At Aspiring Lifestyle, the cost of a unit could be between $700,000 and $1.2 million, Mr Armstrong said.
Metlifecare is proposing a 120-villa and 17-apartment complex near the Wanaka golf course, offering a full continuum of care from independent living to hospital level care.
Winton Group’s luxury Northbrook Retirement Village would comprise 92 independent living units, 13 serviced apartments and 32 comprehensive care suites with hospital and dementia level. It remains subject to registration under the Retirement Villages Act.
Another retirement village developer, Roys Bay Estate Ltd, has obtained resource consent for 63 units in Kelliher Dr, Meadowstone.
The site has a complex planning and zoning history and has only been partially developed.
The bulk of the undeveloped land was recently tendered for sale by a mortgagee.
Te Kari Kaumatua, New Zealand’s Office for Seniors, has estimated New Zealand will have 1.2 million people aged over 65 by 2034, with major implications for housing, employment, health, financial capability and social issues.
Wanaka’s population in 2021 was 16,250, according to Infometrics (up from 9270 in 2011 and 4840 in 2001).
The developers of both of the new Wanaka villages expect to create hundreds more jobs in the construction and other sectors.
Metlifecare head of development Matt Wickham said this week the development would create 140 jobs in construction alone, while 50 staff would be required after completion, such as managers, nurses, gardeners and kitchen staff.
Environment Minister David Parker said last year the Northbrook proposal was likely to create 700 construction jobs alone, helping justify his decision to recommend it to the fast-track consenting process under Covid-19 economic recovery legislation.
Northbrook would require 38 operating staff once the facility was operating.
