Tricare Plots Expanded Chermside Assisted Living Community

Retirement living and aged-care developer Tricare has submitted modifications to the Brisbane City Council to expand its existing Chermside West facility. 

The modifications for the approved site, at 642 and 682 Rode Road, would enlarge the existing TriCare Stafford Lakes Retirement Community after the original development was approved in 2019. 

The original proposal consists of a six-storey built form with 44 assisted living units. 

However, as part of a design review, it is expanding the project to consider ‘ageing in place’ and ‘continuum of care’ trends that have been taken on board by the wider industry. 

It will deliver an additional six assisted living units in Building 10, to support the availability of additional housing options and support “Brisbane City Council’s target to increase the retirement and aged-care housing options in Brisbane by 50 per cent by 2027”.

As a result, there will be a slight increase to the building footprint, with a slight increase in the building envelope but within the approved height and setback considerations. 

“As such, the proposal continues to present a compatible built form outcome by way of bulk, scale and appearance to the current approval,” according to the development application.

Tricare operates nine retirement communities and 17 residential aged-care facilities throughout Australia. 

The Stafford Lakes community has been largely completed, with Stage 5 submitted and an additional building proposed in 2018. 

The site is close to amenity including the Rode Shopping Centre, Westfield Chermside and also the Prince Charles and Holy Spirit Northside Hospitals next to the site.