Dementia care unit approved

INVERCARGILL

THE Invercargill City Council has approved the building of a dementia unit on the old Hawthorndale School site in Tay St.

Hawthorndale Care Village working group member Paddy O’Brien yesterday confirmed resource consent had been granted for the $33 million development.

A resource consent hearing for the village project was held in November and six submissions received. One was later withdrawn. The decision from commissioner K. J. Hovel, released yesterday, shows four submissions addressed concerns about disruption during construction, access to the site and parking.

The consent allows the building of 13 singlestorey residential care homes, each containing 67 bedrooms, 19 singlestorey independent residential living units with associated outdoor living spaces and attached single garages and a twostorey apartment building containing 22 residential apartments and covered car parks.

Mr O’Brien said the working group was thrilled with decision and eager to get the construction under way in 2021.

The project had just $4 million left to raise, having more than $29 million confirmed funding for the $33 million development, he said.

Working group member Mark O’Connor said a key focus now would be securing the remaining funding to ensure the construction tender phase of the project could start as soon as possible.

IMAGE: SUPPLIED An artist’s impression of the entrance to the Hawthorndale Care Village which is to be built in Invercargill.