Consent granted for retirement village at Mills Reef site

Tim Preston, a director of Mills Reef Winery land owner Preston Group Ltd. Photo/File

An application to build a 198-unit retirement village at Bethlehem's Mills Reeef site has been granted.

The application lodged by The Vines at Bethlehem involves transforming 12.5 hectares of the Moffat Rd site into a high-specification 198-unit retirement village over the next 10 years.

The consent seeks to establish a mix of 142 standalone dwellings and 56 duplex dwellings, which would be two and three bedroom retirement units.

The development includes 198 two- and three-bedroom villas to be built over several stages, in free-standing and duplex configurations. The Mills Reef winery building is to be retained, and the complex will include a spa, gym, bowling green and indoor lap pool.

Stage 1 development mam. Image/supplied

The owners of the winery are looking to relocate elsewhere in the Western Bay.

Tim Preston, a director of land owner Preston Group Ltd, said the winery and event venue would not be impacted by construction activity for several years.

Stage 1 of the retirement village will begiin on the neighbouring property adjoining the Mills Reef site with construction of the first 17 villas.

Mr Preston said the aim was to create a "modern retirement haven" with all the latest facilities. It would incorporate all the latest techniques in urban design, roading and streetscaping, he said.

Earlier this month, the Bay of Plenty Times spoke to resident Hamish Richmond, who lives with wife live in St Regis Way.

At the hearings on October 8, Mr Richmond told Commissioner Alan Watson at the Tauranga City Council chambers he was "disgusted" by the consultation process undertaken by the applicant, particularly obtaining some neighbours' approvals by going house-to-house.

"I think the whole process has been a farce," he said.

Mr Richmond said that side of Moffat Rd was designated a rural residential zone and, when they first bought their property in 1998, they were assured it would remain so for 35-40 years.