Property Business, in partnership with the New Zealand Property Institute. Dec 2004, Issue 35

Vision Senior Living (VSL), developed and manager of lifestyle retirement villages, has begun site works on a new $50m lifestyle retirement village at Papamoa. The 160-unit development, dubbed Papamoa Beach Gardens, will be built over the next three years on a 7.5 ha site, just a 10-minute walk from the beach.

The first stage of 19 units is scheduled for completion early next year. These will be two and three-bedroom units ranging in size from 99m2 to 190m2 and priced between $263,000 and $560,000.

Architect Chow:Hill has created a range of simple, modern houses – taking its inspiration from the Kiwi bach of yesteryear. “It’s generations removed from the brick-and-tile look,” said VSL, managing director Peter Bourke.

Work on the village’s community facilities, which include lounge, café, library, pool, gymnasium and bowling green, is scheduled to start in January and be completed September 2005.

A central feature is a lake with a sandy beach. The pavilion housing the community facilities sits in the middle of the lake, joined by boardwalks to the main thoroughfares.