When Trish and Neil Bulling decided to invest in a new retirement village in Cromwell, they could see just how badly the town needed a local lifestyle village where older people could go to enjoy their ‘age of leisure’.
“So many people were faced with having to move away to Dunedin, Invercargill and elsewhere to get into some sort of lifestyle village,” Neil says.
“We could see such a need for a village here in Cromwell and then some land became available that provided us with the ideal location. It was already zoned commercial so that made everything move a lot faster.”
With the backing of four other local couples as shareholders, they went ahead with their plan to build a lifestyle village for the town, close to local supermarkets, medical services, cafes and shops.
The first diggers arrived on site in April 2016. Today, Golden View Lifestyle Village in Cromwell is fast taking shape with all but three of 94 standalone villas sold and 35 already occupied.
Forming the hub of the village is Golden View Lodge where residents can access a range of recreational activities.
“Social isolation can be a real issue with the elderly but there are plenty of opportunities to mix here,” observes Trish, Golden View’s village manager.
“We have a happy hour, we take people on outings. The lodge has only just opened but we already have a range of activities happening. You can appreciate the benefits of having a village like this when you see how people really blossom and enjoy that regular contact with other residents.”
A range of recreational facilities are available at the Golden View Lodge
Competitive pricing at Golden View – between $409,000 and $710,000 – has been another major drawcard. “We’ve never had to advertise to attract people to the village – it has been driven by word of mouth,” says Trish.
Neil is branch manager of PGG Wrightson Real Estate’s Cromwell office, which has been managing sales, and confirms that demand has been strong from the outset.
The couple is grateful to HPA Group for their design and project management expertise. Trish first found out about HPA Group through a friend, who was able to put her in touch with HPA’s project director Terry Coombs. “It all happened from there.”
Construction of Golden View’s 80-bed hospital and care facility, including a dementia unit, is due to get underway later this year.
“Our residents know that if their partner has to go into care in future, then they can stay in the village and be right beside them,” says Trish. Most people who have purchased villas at Golden View are from the local area, or are people moving to Cromwell to be closer to family members.
This article was brought to you in association with the following businesses…
- Southern Foundation
- Flooring Xtra
- B & M Joinery Ltd
- Laser Electrical
- Carden Building Ltd
- HPA
