Leading aged care provider, Hall & Prior has updated its plans for a major new health and aged care development on the former Woodside Maternity Hospital site in East Fremantle – in response to local community feedback.
Some of these changes to the original design will significantly increase privacy for close neighbours including:
These changes include:
- On the northern boundary – increasing the setback of north facing rooms on level 2, to 1m from the boundary and removing the balconies, and reducing the size of the plant equipment on the top of the building.
- North facing dining room windows on levels 1 and 2 will be obscure glazing to a height of 1.6m, Including evergreen trees planted on the boundary to improve privacy and amenity, as well as changes to the Precinct’s walking loop for residents
- On the southern boundary – there will be no car parking in the backyards of the two Supported Independent Living homes (26 Dalgety Street and 29 Fortescue Street) with mature trees being kept and additional trees planted proposed.
- There will also be an additional level of basement car parking to take the number of bays for the site to 115, with no street parking
A new development application that reflects these changes has been lodged with the State Development Assessment Unit (SDAU) which is part of the WA Planning Commission (WAPC).
The decision to take its proposal to the WA Planning Commission, follows more than three years’ work with the Town of East Fremantle and extensive consultation with the local community.
The Town of East Fremantle advised us that under the provisions of Local Planning Scheme No. 3 it is not possible to support the proposed Wellness Centre to be accessed by home-care clients as well as aged care residents. The SDAU has greater scope to consider the Wellness Centre in the context of the development.
Like the entire health and aged care sector and many, many ageing Australians and their families, Hall & Prior strongly believe that providing quality care and services that allow elderly residents to remain at home delivers proven health benefits.
So it is doing all it can to ensure local home-care clients in the East Fremantle area can share the benefit of the new Woodside Care Precinct, while also taking on board the practical feedback from local neighbours to refine the design of the Woodside Care Precinct.
The Wellness Centre will incorporate a hydrotherapy pool, medical and allied health services, among other facilities. It is intended that community members who are being supported to live at their own homes, as well as Woodside residents, will receive care at the Wellness Centre and it is a critically important part of the project.
They will have the opportunity to receive treatment, respite, engage in other therapeutic activities and social interaction – all of which is fundamental to achieving a range of physical and mental health benefits, and is such an important part of achieving a good quality of life
The project also includes a lifeline for Woodside House which is heritage-listed and holds a special place in the hearts of local community members.
The former Woodside Maternity Hospital site has been vacant, vandalised and fallen into disrepair over a number of years. Hall & Prior will spend more than $5 million on restoring, preserving and adapting the buildings as part of its $90 million proposed facility which will accommodate and support more than 160 people, and include six independent living units for people with disabilities.
