A $20 million redevelopment has been approved for Gerringong’s Uniting Mayflower aged care complex. The four level building is to accommodate 100 residential care beds, based on a ‘household’ model of care, where each household  has its own kitchen, dining and lounge areas, creating familiar, homelike environments.

The provider has gone with quality of care over quantity, with the change resulting in 10 less residential care beds than currently available on site.

The 25 dementia specific beds will remain at Boronia Lodge, within Mayflower.

Eleven independent  living units are to be demolished, and 41 trees removed, to make way for the redevelopment, which is to be located on the Greta St side of the complex.

The building was approved despite breaching height restrictions, because its distance from the street and the topography of the site. Uniting’s original exterior design was altered to better suit Gerringong’s character, through the addition of balconies, the relocation of external stairs, the reorientation of red cedar louvres and exterior palate changes (see right for approved design).

A café, chapel, a community and wellness centre and a range of adaptable activity areas will also be housed in the redevelopment, with the main construction work
expected to be completed in late 2018.

Plans for other parts of the site are still being developed.