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Developing Ellerslie Retirement Village Frees 18 Hectares

Published: Thu 27 Jul 2017 06:35 PM
Development of Ellerslie Retirement Village Frees Up 18 Hectares of Auckland Land
Prime Minister Bill English today opened stage one of Summerset at Heritage Park, an innovative multi-story Ellerslie retirement village, which will free up the equivalent of 18ha of residential land in Auckland.
The higher density nature of Summerset at Heritage Park, in comparison to the residential homes residents have largely moved from, means the development results in approximately five times more efficient land use.
“At a time when land supply is under real pressure, developments such as this play a vital role in freeing up land in Auckland,” said Summerset CEO Julian Cook at a ceremony to mark the completion of the first stage of the village.
The $250 million Heritage Park project is the biggest investment Summerset has made in Auckland to date.
“The opening of stage one of Heritage Park is a significant milestone and represents a major step forward in our ambitious growth plans for the Auckland region,” commented Mr Cook.
“In our 20th year of operation we have a major focus on Auckland and Ellerslie is just the start. This is part of a $1.3 billion investment programme in the Auckland region including building major new villages in Parnell and St Johns.
“This investment programme will help strengthen our position as New Zealand’s fastest growing retirement village and aged care provider.”
A flagship project for the company, when complete, Summerset at Heritage Park will house 450 residents in 320 villas, apartments, and serviced apartments. Fifty-eight care rooms will provide rest home and hospital-level care.
The mix of accommodation offers a range of options for residents in one location from independent living to rest home and full hospital level care. Heritage Park will offer a unique retirement village experience for residents with open green spaces, a lake, bowling green, library, hair salon, bar, gym, pool, spa and café.
“The village has been purpose-built to reflect the vision of Summerset to provide the best of life to our customers,” said Mr Cook. “This is a development that will challenge many people’s preconceived notions of what a retirement village is like.”
Unlike most other retirement developments, Summerset has their own in-house full-time construction team of 65 staff, including project managers, design specialists, planners and engineers.
“In a tight market like Auckland there are real challenges in completing large developments like this one and we have experienced some delays which is frustrating for us and our residents.
“However, having an in-house team means we can keep these delays to a minimum and deliver our projects faster than other similar projects in Auckland,” Mr Cook concluded.
ENDS
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Background information
The Village
Summerset at Heritage Park village in Ellerslie is a flagship project for Summerset. When completed, it will offer a unique retirement village experience for residents with open green spaces, a lake, bowling green, library, hair salon, bar, gym, pool, spa and café with barista made coffee.
It will house 450 residents in 320 villas, apartments, and serviced apartments, while 58 care rooms will provide rest home and hospital-level care.
The village is being built on the site of a popular 1980s New Zealand themed tourist park. It has been designed to fit around many of the theme park’s original features, such as the Heritage Park lake, which will be a centrepiece in the village grounds.
Summerset Group
Starting from small beginnings on the Kapiti Coast 20 years ago, Summerset has grown into a nationwide business with 21 villages (a total of 2,828 homes).
One of New Zealand’s leading retirement village operators and developers, the company’s main goal is to ensure retirees continue to live a full and rewarding life in their villages, while providing the care and support they choose.
Summerset were one of the first retirement companies to have certified serviced apartments. The apartments are spacious, purpose-designed homes with one bedroom, a large bathroom and generous living area. There are four in-home service package options to choose from to meet residents’ needs, ranging from help with housekeeping, meals and personal care, right up to government funded rest home care.
Summerset takes great care in the design of their villages so they stand the test of time. They are a multi-generation owner, so a considerable amount of effort is put into designing and building high-spec durable homes and village buildings.
The Summerset Group has villages in Aotea, Dunedin, Ellerslie, Hamilton, Hastings, Havelock North, Hobsonville, Karaka, Katikati, Levin, Manukau, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Paraparaumu, Taupo, Trentham, Wanganui, Warkworth and Wigram. It has plans to develop an additional six sites in Richmond, Rotorua, Casebrook, Lower Hutt, St Johns and Parnell, which will bring the total number of sites to 27.
Summerset employs over 1,100 staff members who take care of the company’s more than 4,400 residents.
Eighty percent of residents from Summerset’s villages across New Zealand have lived locally (within 5km) of the retirement apartments they purchased.

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