[picture available on request]

Media Release

8 February 2008

First Apartments in Revitalisation of Selwyn Village Underway

A resource consent has been granted for the building of a high quality three storey 36 apartment building on Selwyn Village’s Point Chevalier site.

The two bedroom, high quality retirement apartments will be constructed near the Village’s eastern boundary adjacent to the Bishop Selwyn Apartments (completed in 2006). The new apartments are around 80 square metres in size each, and all upper floor apartments have external decks. They will be constructed to look like terraced apartments on the exterior, allowing them to integrate with the surrounding residential housing in this desirable seaside suburb.  The building is “stepped” to allow maximum sun from each apartment.

“These retirement apartments mark an important step in Selwyn Village’s history,” says Rev Duncan Macdonald, CEO of Selwyn Foundation.  “They are the start of a long term vision – over twenty years or more – to revitalise our fifty year old ten hectare (26 acre) village in stages, replacing our 40 and 50 year old buildings with “state of the art” accommodation.   It also marks our diversification from a rest home and hospital operator to include building a reputation as a retirement village operator. Over the next two decades we plan to provide much more high quality independent living for the elderly, while maintaining our on site ‘continuum of care’ – meaning that those in need of greater care will still be able to move on to rest home and hospital care.”

Rev Macdonald said that a concept plan is being developed for Selwyn Village which anticipates building more independent apartments in stages over two or more decades, as demand dictates.  Top quality dementia and hospital-rest home facilities will also be constructed as buildings age and in response to demand.

The stage one development includes several new buildings. “Each stage of development is designed to be a mini-neighbourhood in its own right, with gardens and areas for social interaction,” says Rev. Macdonald.  “Totally new community facilities for the whole of Selwyn Village are also planned.  This is likely to include retail and medical facilities, craft and indoor/outdoor recreational areas and maybe even facilities for grandchildren”.

The newly resource consented apartment building will, together with Bishop Selwyn apartments, look down on landscaped private parkland.  Initial plans show trees, seating, communal barbeque, low hedges and perennials.

It is anticipated that all mature trees on the Village site will be retained, except one phoenix palm which needs to be relocated.  Future developments envisage a rose garden walk, a coastal garden and feature lawns to complement Selwyn Village’s spectacular site.

The new apartment building will soon commence construction and is expected to be complete by March 2009.  Prices will be set within the next few months.

The architects on the new building are Archimedia, who designed the conversion of an original 6 storey building of bedsit flats at Selwyn Village into the Lichfield apartments several years ago. (www.archimedia.co.nz)

BACKGROUND TO SELWYN VILLAGE AND SELWYN FOUNDATION

Selwyn Foundation is one of the largest charitable providers of care to the elderly in New Zealand. It is experienced in rental, retirement village, rest home, hospital and dementia care services and delivers these across six sites in the upper North Island. (see www.selwyncare.org.nz). 

Selwyn Foundation is unusual amongst retirement village operators in that it is an independent charitable trust, operated under Christian values and principles.  As such it has no requirement to return profits to shareholders. Instead, any surpluses are reinvested back into the services offered.

·                    Selwyn Village began in 1952 with earthworks, and later (April ’53) the laying of the foundation stone by Governor General Lord Norrie. 

·                    The Village was opened by Mrs Hilda Ross, Minister of Social Welfare on 22 May 1953. There was a main block with accommodation for 20 frail residents and two cottages.

·                    Later, funds were raised by takings from the Royal Command (Cinema) performance attended by the Queen Elizabeth II on Boxing Day 1953, courtesy of benefactor Robert Kerridge (Kerridge Odeon).  More cottages were built.

·                    The Lichfield Building was originally rental accommodation, but has now been refurbished to a high standard as apartments.  This was followed by construction of 21 rental units (Coughlan Court) followed by Bishop Selwyn Apartments in 2006.

·                    Today, Selwyn Village offers a continuum of services ranging from independent living through to residential care (rest homes, hospitals and dementia unit) and Day Care.

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