Boomers pushing for more high-end living options
LONDON: The retirement village concept is under siege from a market now seeking more high-end living options.
Tweaks to plans for a new unit development in a prime riverfront site are set to create more high-end opportunities for blue-chip buyers.
Consultants for the developers of a new unit block at 1-3 and 5 The Esplanade, Maroochydore, successfully sought a change to the previously approved plans at a high profile site on the corner of The Esplanade and Fourth Ave.
The changes sought to reduce the number of apartments from 22 to 19 through the creation of a penthouse and two sub-penthouse units on the top two levels.
A food and drink outlet, likely a juice bar or coffee shop, remained in the ground floor plans.
Planning documents lodged with Sunshine Coast Council showed the reduction had been achieved by combining two of the three-bedroom units on level six to make a five-bedroom sub-penthouse apartment with study, in dual key configuration, and a standard three-bedroom unit.
Three of the three-bedroom units on level seven had been amalgamated to create one five-bedroom apartment with two studies, in dual key configuration.
Council officers recommended the number of units be removed from the approval, to avoid any ambiguity given the dual key opportunities proposed, with the approval for the changes given on December 23, 2020.
Estimateone.com had listed the initial project budget for design and construction as $15 million – $20 million, when tenders were being sought for the initial designs.
