Images: Supplied.
A private country club with its own bowling alley, cinema, golf simulator and swimming pool will sit at the centre of a newly approved $226 million over-50s community in Strathalbyn.
The major development will be the size of a small suburb, bringing 262 homes to the 11.5 hectare Sandergrove Road site currently occupied by Whittam Transport.
It will be the first South Australian community for GemLife, which operates more than 30 existing and planned resort-style land lease developments across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
A $17 million, two-level country club will the the centre of the community, with plans for a swimming pool, ten-pin bowling alley, cinema, golf simulator, gym, games room, library and residents’ lounge.
Outside, residents will have access to a tennis court, lawn bowls green, communal areas and craft spaces.
The homes will be single-storey and include two bedrooms, a multipurpose room and an outdoor alfresco area.
A GemLife spokesperson said that the development is expected to support approximately 256 jobs over the life of the project, including a number of ongoing full-time positions once the community is operational.
The project will operate under a land lease model, meaning residents will purchase and own their home while leasing the land beneath it from GemLife. The company will also manage the development of its shared facilities.
The Fleurieu Regional Assessment Panel approved the project on July 7, despite significant opposition from some members of the local community. 86 people formally opposed the development, raising concerns about its density, traffic, noise and the potential impact on neighbouring properties.
Gemlife said in a statement that they “welcomed the feedback received throughout the planning process and viewed it as an opportunity to further strengthen the masterplan.
“A number of refinements were made to the proposal, including reducing the number of homes by four to create additional green space, expanding landscaped green corridors and pedestrian connections throughout the community, reducing the height of interface buffers and planned retaining walls to improve outcomes for neighbouring properties.”
The project will also mark the end of the Sandergrove Road site, which has been home to the Whittam family’s livestock transport business for decades.
Whittam Transport is expected to continue operating from a different location, with an agreement reportedly in place for GemLife to acquire the property in November 2028.
Where: 53 Sandergrove Road, Strathalbyn
When: Coming soon
Find out more here.
