Ryman Healthcare to build boutique village in Wellington

Ryman Healthcare to build boutique village in Wellington

Ryman Healthcare has bought a significant site in Newtown which will be developed into a boutique retirement village for the wider South Wellington community.

The 6000m sq site has been bought from supermarket giant Foodstuffs for an undisclosed sum and has frontages on Adelaide Rd and Hanson St.

Ryman Healthcare managing director Simon Challies said the new village would include independent and serviced apartments, as well as resthome, hospital and dementia care.

“It’s a great site with terrific views across the city and it is close to public transport, shops and the hospital.’’

“Newtown is a vibrant part of Wellington with a strong sense of community and we’re delighted to be building there.’’

Mr Challies said the southern suburbs were under-serviced for retirement village options and the boutique village would fill a gap in the market.

“Wellington has a rapidly growing ageing population in line with the rest of the country. It’s our sixth village in the greater Wellington area which is a sign of our commitment to the region.’’

Design concepts are being worked on but it is too early to say what the final scheme will look like or when a construction start date is likely.

Angela Bull, general manager of Property Development at Foodstuffs North Island, said the site was sold after a re-evaluation of the co-operative’s portfolio.

“After investigating a range of options for the site, we are pleased to have been able to work with Ryman Healthcare to achieve a great result for both the property and the Wellington community,” Angela Bull said.

Ryman opened its first Wellington village in 1998 and its villages include Malvina Major in Khandallah, Rita Angus in Kilbirnie, Shona McFarlane in Lower Hutt and Charles Fleming in Waikanae. In addition, construction is under way on a new village in Petone.

Statistics NZ estimates the number of New Zealanders aged 75 plus will almost triple to 731,000 over the next thirty years. Ryman opened a new village in Melbourne earlier this year. In Victoria the outlook is similar, with the number set to triple to 1.1 million.

Earlier this year Ryman announced it had eight new sites in its landbank. Other
villages are being developed in Birkenhead, Devonport, Pukekohe and a new village will open later this year in Howick. Four sites are still covered by confidentiality agreements.

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