Retirement village underway

Diggers have begun earthworks on a retirement village in north Ōrewa that has been five years in the making.

Ōrewa Sands Retirement Resort is the work of developer Coastal Properties. 

The project was strongly opposed by neighbours in its early days, mainly on the grounds of the sensitivity of the site, near Nukumea Stream, Eaves’ Bush and historic Ōrewa House, as well as the proposed height and bulk of the buildings – up to five storeys and 120 units were originally planned.

That was in 2016, and several revisions later the consented village will contain 114 units in blocks that are three and four storeys above ground, with an underground carpark. 

Auckland Council issued building consent for the first stage of the project in June. This includes a residential apartment block that includes facilities such as a swimming pool, men’s shed, hairdresser, doctor’s consulting room and nursing station.

Historic Rose Cottage, built in 1880, is on the site and this will be restored to original condition and used as a craft room and library.

Coastal Properties director, Brendan Coughlan, says that large steel piles have been driven as far as 26m into the soil to support the foundations.

“The building is designed to withstand a 1-in-500-year earthquake,” he says.

Gaining consent required considerable enhancement of Nukumea Stream, as well as building a boardwalk along it.

There are two further stages, which may include a care facility and hospital.

Coughlan aims to complete stage one by the summer of 2022 and put the 40 apartments in that block on the market in October.