Green village for Victor

By Tim Dixon

KeyInvest’s village at Victor Harbor will contain 86 environmentally friendly two and three-bedroom retirement homes.

Plans have been announced for an environmentally friendly retirement village within a green residential development at Victor Harbor.

South Australian village operator and financial services firm, KeyInvest will construct the village under a joint venture agreement with Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD), the developers of the Beyond Today residential community.

The two and three-bedroom retirement homes will contain design features aimed at boosting water and energy efficiency, including solar power and hot water, rainwater harvesting, outdoor shading, and thermal mass for heat conduction.

The managing director of KeyInvest, Ian Campbell said environmental sustainability was a growing area of importance for retirees.

“One of the biggest issues you face as you get older and move onto a fixed income is controlling the costs of living, such as your utilities costs,” he said.

“If we as a retirement operator can somehow assist in putting a lid on that, we will be helping them to manage their financial wellbeing as well as their general wellbeing.”

A focal point of the villages will be a modern community centre featuring indoor and outdoor dining areas, a fitness room, a library and a bar.

The Beyond Today development is set alongside 64 hectares of protected wetlands and native vegetation and all the new homes will have a minimum seven-star energy rating.

“It represents a true, once in a lifetime opportunity, to live in a low density environment, surrounded by wetlands and an abundance of native flora and fauna at your doorstep yet a few minutes from the amazing beaches of this area and excellent facilities,” said Steven Wright from ESD.

Building work on the village will begin soon and it is expected that the first retirement home will be ready this spring.

Mr Campbell said the retirement development would be promoted to a broad market.

“I’m sure it will appeal to a lot of people in Victor Harbor but it will have a broader appeal than that,” he said. “It will be pitched at Adelaide and beyond.”