South Yarra strip goes upmarket for elderly
Australian Aged Care Group plans to build a luxurious 79-suite Kensington Gardens aged care residency on a hill overlooking a bend in the Yarra River next to Alexandra Avenue and opposite Herring Island.
The $80 million project would cover a large portion of the 0.8 hectare site now occupied by several small apartment buildings and townhouses. Each suite would be more than 60 square metres and aimed at elderly residents with an average age of 85.
Residents would have a bedroom, dining, kitchenette and sitting rooms as well as a balcony, Aged Care Group director John Matthies said.
There would be a small cinema, hydrotherapy pool, gym, chapel, cafe, wine cellar and terrace gardens for residents in buildings and grounds designed by architecture firm Bates Smart.
The six-level facility would require the demolition of 61 Kensington Road, No.2 and No.3 at 52 Rockley Road, 135 and 141 Alexandra Avenue .
Numerous residents have complained about the proposal, with 169 objections lodged so far, Stonnington's mayor Matthew Koce said.
Aged Care Group has listed the case at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal because the council failed to make a decision within the prescribed 60-day period. But Cr Koce said complex planning applications involving community consultation required more time.
The aged-care centre replaces another five-storey apartment proposed for the site, originally approved in 2010.
Bates Smart director Roger Poole said the new facility was "less monolithic" than the previous proposal.
Australian Aged Care Group operates the 100-bed Kew Gardens Aged Care and Canterbury Nursing Home.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The proposal is for a luxurious, six-level Kensington Gardens aged-care residency in South Yarra by Australian Aged Care Group. It would deliver 79 suites on a 0.8-hectare site overlooking a bend in the Yarra River, with the project cost estimated at about $80 million.
Australian Aged Care Group is the developer behind the Kensington Gardens project, and the facility’s buildings and grounds have been designed by architecture firm Bates Smart.
Each suite would be more than 60 square metres and provide a bedroom, dining area, kitchenette, sitting room and a balcony. The development also proposes communal amenities such as a small cinema, hydrotherapy pool, gym, chapel, cafe, wine cellar and terrace gardens.
The project is aimed at elderly residents with an average age of about 85, offering larger private suites and high-end communal facilities for residents needing aged-care services.
The six-level facility would require demolition of several existing buildings on the site, specifically 61 Kensington Road; No. 2 and No. 3 at 52 Rockley Road; and 135 and 141 Alexandra Avenue, to make way for the new development.
Numerous residents have objected to the proposal—169 objections were lodged—and Australian Aged Care Group has taken the case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) after the council did not decide within the prescribed 60-day period. The local mayor has said complex planning applications with community consultation can require more time.
The Kensington Gardens aged-care centre replaces a previously proposed five-storey apartment building that was originally approved for the site in 2010. Bates Smart has said the new aged-care facility is 'less monolithic' than the earlier apartment proposal.
Australian Aged Care Group currently operates the 100-bed Kew Gardens Aged Care and the Canterbury Nursing Home, as noted in the project coverage.
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