Part of a Werribee nursing home will be demolished in the new year after Wyndham council approved a multimillion-dollar redevelopment.
Baptcare had applied to the council to build a multi-storey development at Wyndham Lodge to boost its capacity from 60 to 150 residents. The aged- care provider says the redevelopment will bring the home, which is more than 40 years old, “up to a modern standard”.
The council approved the permit at its meeting last month.
Cr Michele Wharrie said the upgrade was good news for the community. “There’s a need for more aged-care beds and to increase our ability to provide respite care for the needy in our community, and this redevelopment offers that,” she said.
A Baptcare spokeswoman said demolition work was expected to start early next year, with construction expected to be completed by October 2015.
As reported by the Weekly, 29 of the nursing home’s residents had to find new homes to make way for the redevelopment. Many families objected to being asked to move their loved ones to a new aged-care centre and raised concerns about their ability to cope with the move.
However, 21 residents were able to move to other aged- care homes in Wyndham while six transferred to Baptcare’s Westhaven Community in Footscray.
Two residents were able to stay at Wyndham Lodge.
Operations manager Lindon Le Griffon said Baptcare had tried to move as few residents as possible to avoid disrupting too many people.
He said Baptcare initially tried to buy neighbouring land so no one would have to move.
Staff will spend 2014 training and improving their skills ahead of the new wing’s opening.
