Case Study 6 – RAAFA Bullcreek Retirement Village

Background

RAAFA’s Bullcreek Village is the oldest of its villages and was built in many stages since the 1970’s. Most of the village is a sprawling mixture of two-storey units with large areas of the site set aside for parking. A club building, offices for RAFFA, a high-care hospital and the famous RAAF museum are all located on the site. The Village’s proximity to the Mandurah railway and the Kwinana freeway made an application for an increase in density easily supportable and rather than replicating the sprawling low rise, the redevelopment will increase the number of units on the site but in a much smaller area by a series of 4, 5 and 6 storey apartment blocks

Action

This project involved the progressive reconstruction of aging accommodation facilities whilst maintaining the ongoing operation of the overall complex. There is considerable challenge in fitting new accommodation requirements into an established (built) environment whilst maintaining the connectivity of both privately and publicly operated service infrastructure that criss-cross this site. Residents are very easily distressed with even the simplest of change or hiccup so such developments need a set of special, smart and clever skills to manage the works successfully. Apart from assisting with the carpark/bowling green project, The Civil Group has master planned the new services layouts over the existing services and so helped gouda the upgrading to achieve a logical layout but in the interim retain services to each of the residents.

Outcomes

Already three towers have been built. A new underground carpark with bowling green’s on the roof have been provided near to the RAAFA club. A new swimming pool has been added to the recreational precinct and the museum buildings will remain and be integrated into the development. As an interim measure and before the many groups of two-storey units are redeveloped, lifts are being installed to improve access for the residents.