Kawana nursing home community one step closer
Fri 01 May 2009
Kane Frampton, Journalism
A plan to establish a nursing home community in Kawana took a step forward at a Sunshine Coast Regional Council Committee Meeting on March 26, 2009.
The proposal was unanimously voted to be referred to a full meeting of council on April 2.
Non-profit organisation Blue Care Australia was planning the facility, to be located on the corner of Lake Kawana Blvd and Nicklin Way.
Senior planner Sean Slevin presented an amended plan to council, and said an aged care facility would be of great community benefit to Kawana and its surrounding areas.
“Nursing home facilities are essential to the Kawana area,” Mr Slevin said.
The proposal originally recommended a maximum of 226 dwelling units, but the amended plan presented to council said a maximum of 354 dwelling units was possible.
A recent study conducted on the Kawana Waters area suggested that nursing home facilities were in high demand.
The Kawana Waters Community Development Strategy found the area would require 470 beds for high care patients in the future, compared to the 187 existing at present.
Also, 575 beds for low care patients would be required in the future compared to 171 at present.
Division 9 councillor Vivien Griffin said she was glad a non-profit organisation was involved in the project.
“It is great that Blue Care have the confidence to plan in this area,” Cr Griffin said.
“It is an excellent initiative."
The proposed site was located close to the Kawana town centre and to regional hospitals.
Public transport was readily available close to the site, as were pedestrian links.
Local traffic was unlikely to be negatively affected by the plan, as a retirement community would generate less traffic than an average subdivision, and the current road system near the site was capable of handling increased traffic.
The proposal will be further examined in a full meeting of the SCRC in the Caloundra Chambers on April 2, 2009.
Image(s) designed by n/a