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Heavy demand for retirement village living has spurred Summerset Falls in Warkworth to embark on an ambitious building programme over the last 12 months.
During the period, a further 79 homes have been added to the village, with the final 27 due to be completed in the first quarter of next year.
This will bring the total number of “independent living units” at Summerset to 205.
Summerset sales manager Steven Garner says a “bubble” of baby boomers reaching retirement age has put pressure on villages.
As demand has increased, Summerset has steadily raised the age at which retirees can move into the village.
Ten years ago it was 55, five years ago it was 65 and today it is 70.
Steven says adding to the pressure is the fact that Warkworth is an attractive place for retirees.
He points out that it’s close to Auckland where many have family and friends, yet is still quite rural.
“There’s walking on the beach, walking through the bush and parks, bowling greens, and cafes. There is a lot of things people can do in this space, so it’s tended to attract a relatively active retiree,” Steven says.
A newly-created competing village in town – the Oaks on Neville – has done little to satiate demand.
Steven says it has simply drawn more people in to look at Warkworth as a good place to retire.
Twenty of the new homes being built are of a design not previously used at Summerset.
They comprise blocks of four units – two on the ground floor and two above them. A shared lift services the units on the upper level.
Steven says they are being built to a higher specification than other units at Summerset with huge living spaces, under floor heating, tiled bathrooms, heat pumps, dishwashers and ceramic bench tops.
