Village sales paused

Edward River Village is an independent senior living project located in central Deniliquin, designed to consist of 32 retirement homes in a village setting on completion of multiple development stages.

Stage one of the development, to deliver the first six homes, was completed earlier in 2024.

One of the homes has since been occupied.

As part of the review, council will engage in discussions with other retirement village operators and investigate alternative operational models for retirement villages.

Additionally, the council will explore different funding models regarding fees for retirement village living.

A detailed report on these investigations will be presented at a council meeting for consideration in early 2025.

Mayor of Edward River Council, Cr Ashley Hall said the pause would allow the new council to consider the project thoroughly.

“This pause is a proactive step to ensure we are making the best decisions for our community,” he said.

“By exploring all options and models, we aim to ensure that Edward River Village provides what it set out to deliver – a secure, low-maintenance and welcoming community for seniors.”

Stage one of the project included the construction of two ‘Booroorban’ villas, two ‘Pretty Pine’ villas and two ‘Wanganella’ villas off an access road from Poictiers St.

Each model is slightly larger than the last, respectively, but all are wheelchair accessible and showcase quality finishes from local companies.

The project has been more than six years in the making, after land was secured close to the Deniliquin CBD in 2017.

That milestone followed many more years of discussion about the need for a retirement village in Deniliquin, from community members and at a local government level.

Work on the development was finally started in 2022.

The project has been acknowledged as much needed in the community, however some current and former councillors and community members have voiced concerns regarding the financial feasibility of the project.

Council’s Audit Risk and Improvement Committee advised more financial details were required before they could endorse the project back in 2021 and 2022.

By August 2022, former councillors Harold Clapham, Pat Fogarty and Marc Petersen, and returned Councillor Shirlee Burge, all voted against proceeding with stage one of the project, citing concerns with the financials and increased costs of construction at the time.

Then Mayor Peta Betts used her casting vote to approve the first stage of the project.

Final costing were only presented to councillors in June last year, just weeks before stage one was completed.

Stage two of the development was to be triggered by the sale of the first six villas.

Stage two is planned to include the development of another six units, but Edward River Council has said plans to construct communal spaces may be brought forward from stage three, which may result in fewer villas being built in stage two.

It is unclear if this and further stages will be altered as a result of the review.