$26 million, 128-bed aged care facility for Edgewater gets DAP approval

A NEW $26 million residential aged care facility is “well needed” in Edgewater.

The 128-bed Mercy Health development was conditionally approved by the Metro North-West Joint Development Assessment Panel on Thursday.

Joondalup councillor Christine Hamilton-Prime said there was a “cry out for more aged care” where independence was still maintained.

The site at 9 Harvest Loop is currently owned and operated by Mercy Health, with a 33-bed residential aged care facility, which is proposed to be demolished, and a 22-villa retirement village.

The new facility proposes four clusters of buildings ranging from two to three storeys to accommodate 128 bedrooms, as well as a common reception area, small grocer, cafe, lounge, ‘town hall’, health and wellbeing centre and internal courtyards.

It was advertised to 84 surrounding properties and the Edgewater Community Residents Association with 10 objections received.

Concerns raised included increased traffic, increased emergency service vehicles disrupting nearby residents at night, overlooking on residential backyards, reduced property values and a three-storey building not being in keeping with the Edgewater area.

However, the meeting document said the proposed facility was designed to “reflect the residential character of the locality” and that areas of discretion sought, including setbacks, satisfied the “relevant objectives of the residential zone”.

Planning Solutions director Tayne Evershed said the applicant was satisfied with all conditions except one.

Planning Solutions director Tayne Evershed said the applicant was satisfied with all conditions except one.

He requested deletion of the requirement for landscaping that discourages vehicles from parking within the Pioneer Drive and Harvest Loop verge.

This could include native ground covers and small plants instead of just grass.

Mr Evershed said all parking except four bays would be in the one place (off Harvest Loop), improving the current situation which was “a whole bunch of bays scattered”.

“There will be at least 27 bays for visitors in peak staff times and up to 37 bays as these peak times start to dissipate,” he said.

“If the City accepts we have enough parking it should not be necessary for landscaping on the verge to restrict parking.”

Planning services manager Chris Leigh said while the City was “comfortable with the extent of parking on the site”, parking on the verge was a “pre-existing issue” particularly with school traffic from Mater Dei College and people parking across the verge footpath.

“We need to shift behaviour and focus so people do use the carpark,” he said.

Though specialist member John Syme believed it was “just on the edge of unreasonable” to require particular landscaping on the City-owned verge, his motion to delete the condition was defeated 2-3.

Other conditions included a construction management plan to be submitted to the City, the removal of the existing crossovers and reinstating the footpaths and restricting the parking area next to Pioneer Drive to staff only.

Cr Philippa Taylor asked if residents in the area would be able to use the grocery shop in the complex but T&Z Architects director Marc Karol said it would be just for those living in the facility.

“The grocer is to encourage people who live in the facility to have a semblance of normal life so they can grab things they need and take them back to their residence,” he said.

“It’s about encouraging the care model rather than serving the community.”

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