Rotorua Lakes Council is laying the groundwork for a potential redevelopment of its Lucas Place pensioner housing complex, with ageing units and growing demand driving plans to investigate the site’s future.
Early planning is now underway and includes looking at redevelopment options, partial demolition and land-use consent so the project could move quickly if funding is eventually secured.
The initial planning area covers 31 units on the southern side of the Lucas Place complex.
Eighteen existing tenants are expected to need alternative accommodation while the site is prepared.
Council Group Manager Infrastructure and Assets Stavros Michael says many of the Lucas Place units are ageing, and the council wants to explore opportunities to renew and increase its pensioner housing while improving safety, accessibility and comfort.
No final redevelopment decision has been made and there is currently no confirmed budget for construction.
The council says there are enough vacant homes elsewhere in its pensioner housing portfolio to accommodate all 18 residents affected by the initial stage.
Tenants will be offered suitable alternative accommodation and assistance with packing and moving.
The council expects affected residents to be settled into their new homes by early 2027, although tenants wanting to move sooner into preferred available units will also be supported.
Tenancy management partner Emerge Aotearoa is meeting residents individually to assess their housing preferences as well as health, mobility, accessibility and support needs.
Those discussions will be used to develop individual relocation plans and minimise disruption.
The council says no redevelopment work will begin until every affected resident has been offered suitable alternative accommodation.
A major consideration will be the existing community that has developed among residents at Lucas Place.
Moving older people from established homes can affect everything from neighbourhood relationships to access to healthcare, whānau and other support networks.
The council says maintaining residents’ wellbeing will therefore be a priority throughout the relocation process.
That includes attempting to match people with accommodation that meets their mobility and accessibility requirements while recognising the importance of their existing social connections.
The planning process will also examine whether a larger redevelopment provides better long-term value than renovating ageing units individually.
Council’s longer-term objective is to ensure its pensioner housing meets modern expectations for accessibility, safety and comfort while increasing its ability to respond to demand.
But the future shape of Lucas Place remains undecided.
No redevelopment budget has been approved, and costs and potential funding sources will only be considered if the council chooses to proceed with a formal proposal.
The wider site is also not subject to any final development decision.
For now, the priority is preparing options and relocating the residents affected by the first stage without leaving anyone without appropriate housing.
As communities across Aotearoa confront an ageing population and continuing pressure on affordable housing, the future of sites such as Lucas Place highlights a growing challenge for councils.
How do you replace ageing housing while protecting the wellbeing, independence and community connections of the kaumātua and older residents who already call it home?
Rotorua Lakes Council says tenants and the wider community will be kept informed as planning progresses.
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