Ryman Healthcare is to submit a smaller planning permit application for a retirement village and aged care facility at Mount Eliza on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
Ryman Healthcare has been battling a well organised local resident action group; its original bid for its site at Mt Eliza, was rejected by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on 5 July, as The Source reported. It had previously been rejected by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
The award-winning company contends VCAT “supported the use of the Kunyung Road site for that purpose” and has resubmitted a smaller proposal with 13 fewer assisted living units and 77 fewer apartments. The number of care beds remains at 82.
Ryman Healthcare’s original plan was to provide 181 independent apartments, 48 assisted living suites and 82 aged care beds, which includes low care, high care, specialist dementia, and respite care, on a 8.9ha site, Moondah Estate, it bought from the University of Melbourne in 2017.
Ryman states the VCAT ruling “supported the use of the 8.9ha site for retirement living and aged care, pointing to the clear community benefit [the] proposal would provide”.
Ryman’s Development Manager David Laing told The News the “new permit application … responds directly to VCAT’s guidance”.
Ryman Healthcare asked the Victorian Supreme Court to review how a point of planning law was interpreted by VCAT, but Mr Laing said this would “have no bearing on how the new permit application will be considered”.
