In August 2015 site works commenced on the development of twelve (12) additional aged persons units for the Fairhaven Retirement Village in Pine Tree Close, Armadale. The commencement of construction works is the culmination of many years of negotiation with the Local Authority, Local Community and State Agencies involved in the application to rezone approximately 3000 m2 of public open space reserve into residential zoned land ready for development.
The Fairhaven Retirement Village comprises a well-established aged care hostel located centrally to the complex and surrounded by numerous dependent and independent living units. Given that the village is largely surrounded by existing residential properties, the only real opportunity for expansion was to move into the adjacent public open space area. The initial response from the City of Armadale to decline the official request, however, once the City had prepared its Public Open Space Strategy Harley Dykstra was able to interact with that Strategy. Following various discussions and site meetings with Councillors and Staff a comprehensive proposal was put forward to initiate the process of rezoning a portion of the reserve for residential purposes. The City Staff did make the Applicant aware from the outset that such a process could take up to 4 years and would involve multiple reports to Council, multiple advertising and referral processes, along with approvals required from various State agencies as well. The Applicants were prepared to embark on the process and appointed Harley Dykstra to manage the entire process and negotiations right through to the ultimate planning approval for the additional units. Harley Dykstra has also managed the civil and earthworks process using its survey and project management expertise to deliver ready to build sites with all the associated services.
Whilst the project has certainly delivered a good outcome for the retirement village, there are also some great community outcomes. The original public open space area was a rather odd shaped disjointed area that was underdeveloped and underutilised. As part of the negotiation to acquire portion of the reserve, the retirement village has also agreed to fund significant improvements within the reserve. Further, the reserve is now a more regular space that has much improved surveillance with houses overlooking through more attractive semi-permeable fencing and associated gates, footpaths and lighting, etc.
