The site of an abandoned aged care facility in Townsville is being considered for housing amid a housing shortfall in the area.
Blue Care Pallarenda Garden Settlement Aged Care Facility closed in 2016 after its Not For Profit owner UnitingCare opened a facility in nearby Mount Louisa.
The Queensland Government owns the land, but the site is held in a Deed of Grant in Trust, which limits its uses, including to a “home for the aged and infirm”. Any change in use will require approval from the Queensland Government.
“Speculation has been rife” about the site, The Chronicle has reported, as locals are being forced to sleep in tents amid a housing shortage.
UnitingCare Queensland’s Group Executive Aged Care and Community Services, Cathy Thomas, told The Chronicle the site requires significant investment to bring it up to modern standards.
“This includes repairing damage from vandalism and removing asbestos present at the site to ensure the safety of any future residents,” she said.
