genU announces Lara retirement village redevelopment

Aged care and disability support services provider genU has announced major redevelopment plans for the St Laurence Park retirement village in Lara, Victoria.

The project follows genU’s review of its services and business portfolios and strategic decision to focus on its specialty areas of disability, community aged care, training and employment services.

The redevelopment will double the facility’s size and increase the number of homes within the village to approximately 230. The homes will be mostly single storey, with some apartments included in the plans.

The project also includes new facilities and support services including: a central Community Hub with cinema, games room and library; indoor and outdoor activity areas including craft spaces, lawn bowl greens, picnic areas and pickleball courts; and community gardens, wetlands and reflection spaces.

“With its specially designed, state-of-the-art homes that will be adaptable to residents’ changing needs, together with even better access to facilities and support, we believe St Laurence Park will be a model for what it means to age in place safely, comfortably and independently,” said genU CEO Clare Amies.

As a part of the redevelopment, all existing residences will be replaced with brand new homes equipped with modern fixtures and fittings and built to seven-star energy-efficient standards.

The homes will also meet Gold+ Liveable Housing Australia guidelines, genU said in a statement. This means they will be designed and built to meet the changing needs of occupants across their lifetimes with features including step-free entrances, wider internal doors and corridors, accessible heights for light switches and power points, ground floor toilet access and hobless shower recesses.

The redevelopment also considers safety concerns, with a secondary entrance and exit route to the village, as well as improved vehicle and pedestrian links throughout the site.

Clare Amies said the St Laurence Park redevelopment was part of a strategic decision by the Board and Executive to focus on genU’s core business areas to ensure they remain sustainable and can grow nationally.

“Expansion of our retirement living and community aged care service is an important part of our mission to create and deliver innovative services and support that empower people to reach their full potential,” Amies said.

Following consultation with residents, plans for the redevelopment will shortly be submitted to the City of Greater Geelong for planning approval. Once approved, the staged development is expected to be complete within eight years.

St Laurence Park residents will not be the only ones to enjoy the upgraded amenities, with a new dedicated Health Hub providing allied health services such as physiotherapy, dietitian, exercise physiology and social support to the wider Lara community.

Artist impression of the new Health Hub.

Top image caption: Artist impression of the Community Hub. Images courtesy of genU.