Shire approves sale of land for aged care project

THE Surf Coast Shire council has agreed to sell 2,327sqm of land in Winchelsea to Winanglo for a nominal fee of $1 so it can provide sustainable and affordable assisted living homes.

Winanglo Incorporated, a registered charity associated with Corangamite Financial Services, will use the site at 42 Harding Street to create 10 to 12 units for up to 20 older residents or people living with a disability.

The charity will partner with Hesse Rural Health as a health provider to manage the site and any needs of the residents.

The council’s decision to sell the land, which is located on the corner of Harding and Hopkins streets, follows a consultation process that drew a supportive community response for the proposal.

Cr Heather Wellington said the project would allow more people to stay in their community as circumstances change.

“I’m so pleased that council is able to support this locally driven initiative to help older people and those with a disability to remain in their community, which is a need identified in our Age Friendly Strategy.”

Cr Adrian Schonfelder said as part of the consultation, council received 250 letters in support of the proposal as well as four supportive submissions from local community organisations and the proponents.

“We also ran a community survey, and of the 58 responses between 75 to 88 per cent were in favour of the different aspects of the proposal given the need for this type of housing,” he said.

By only paying $1, Winanglo will complete the development with equity, which it then plans to invest in other community projects in the Winchelsea, Anglesea and Lorne areas (hence the charity’s name).

The sale is subject to specific conditions, including that the development is completed within a reasonable timeframe and that the land will continue to be used for housing for shire-based seniors or people with a disability.

The land was originally owned by the Church of England, and in 1977 it was transferred to the Shire of Winchelsea for a nominal price, with the desired use for the site being community purposes.

Speaking at the hearing of submissions meeting last year about the proposal, Corangamite Financial Services’ John Knuckey said his organisation had noticed the departure over the past two years of “some fantastic older residents and great volunteers” who were moving to retirement homes, mostly in Geelong, as there was nothing suitable in Winchelsea.

He said the bank had contributed a $500,000 grant towards the project as well as the establishment costs of Winanglo.

“The success of this project, if we are successful in gaining the land, will be the fact that we can do a second project from the funds left over from the first project.

“We don’t see this as a one-hit wonder, the aim from the bank’s point of view is that Winanglo will be able to move forward for the next however many years with similar projects.”