‘Essentially a hospital with 177 beds’
Bayview residents have opposed a state significant development (SSD) application for a 177-bed residential aged care facility (RCF) at 36 to 42 Cabbage Tree Road, known as Opal HealthCare Bayview.
Ownership of the existing two aged care disused buildings on the Aveo Bayview Gardens Retirement Village site would be transferred to Opal, demolished, and replaced with a three-storey RCF with ancillary services including a wellness centre, gym, and café at an estimated $98 million.
Jen Vanstone lives opposite the site. “It’s essentially a hospital,” she told PL. “The lights will be on all the time with people coming and going. There will be high-needs aged people requiring medical support 24/7.”
The SSD attracted 50 submissions during exhibition in March, including one from Pittwater Independent MP Jacqui Scruby, who said the proposal represented ‘an inappropriate intensification of land use.’
“The transition to a large-scale, 24/7 operation, featuring a predominantly three-storey built form imposes an unrealistic burden on the streetscape. The design should be amended to reduce intensity and impact,” Ms Scruby said.
Traffic and road safety were also concerns. The existing Annam Road driveway on the Aveo site would be redeveloped to service a new drop-off and ambulance parking bay. A new Annam Road driveway would service basement parking for 68 cars.
Ms Vanstone said the traffic would feed onto a notorious accident blackspot on Cabbage Tree Road.
“They’ve proposed entrances on a low-density, quiet residential street – it’s not in a safe position at all,” said Ms Vanstone. “There’s a blind corner, impacting people travelling down Annam Road (about 100 residents daily) and the additional traffic.”
A spokesperson for Opal told PL that a projected over 65s population growth of 60% by 2040 meant that high-quality aged care would be needed.
“Our Bayview Terrace Care Community proposal is a redevelopment of a pre-existing aged care residence and enhances the previous use of the site through improved design,” the spokesperson said. “Opal HealthCare recognises the importance of community input and matters raised are appropriately considered through the (SSD) process.
“In relation to traffic and road safety, our residents do not drive, and the Care Community will include basement parking, a dedicated on-site drop off zone, and managed servicing arrangements. Deliveries and waste collection will occur within approved hours and in accordance with consent conditions,” the spokesperson added. Opal HealthCare said it was committed to being a ‘responsible and long-term neighbour.’
“Like all aged care developments, our proposal balances environmental and construction considerations with the growing need for appropriate accommodation that enables local people to remain in their community as they age.”
