Rodney Stevens
Clarence Valley Council says it doesn’t have a development application for a proposed over 50’s lifestyle resort development at Gulmarrad despite neighbours receiving a letter detailing the concept.
A Gulmarrad resident provided the CV Independent a copy of the letter titled ‘Aliria Lifestyle Resort in Gulmarrad.’
“Aliria is an over-50s lifestyle resort proposed for Brooms Head Road Gulmarrad, at the intersection with Sheehans Lane,” the letter says.
“The site is adjacent to the Northern Rivers Lifestyle Resort (Lincoln Place) currently under construction to the south.
“Aliria will be a secure, gated community with an on-site manager.
“The homes will be a mix of freestanding 2-bedroom houses in 3 designs.”
The letter states the site already has approval for a residential subdivision.
“But the new proposal is for a land-lease residential park, where people buy their individual homes, but pay site fees for the use of the land and shared facilities including a commercial kitchen, pool complex, cinema, lawn bowls, 10-pin bowling alley, gym, games room, concert hall, lounge, bar, courtyard, library, meeting room, golf sim, pickleball and tennis courts, consulting room and salon, all in a communal Clubhouse and surrounding space.”
Stamp duty does not apply to dwellings purchased at the proposed development.
“Apart from the initial home purchase price, there will be no entry fees, no Council rates to pay, and no stamp duty,” the letter states.
“Homeowners will be free to resell at market value without paying exit fees.
“Those receiving government rent assistance can apply this to site fees.”
The letter contains an aerial photo of the proposed site for the Aliria development, plus images ‘indicative of the Aliria style,’ a site layout and the clubhouse plan.
The site layout shows the 176 dwelling Aliria Lifestyle Resort and an adjacent 2-storey 33 townhouse development.
“To the east will be an affordable rental development, comprised of 2-storey, dual occupancy townhouses, each combining a 3-bedroom home with a separate 2-bedroom home,” the letter states.
“Affordable housing is available to key workers in the community on low to moderate incomes, with rent usually about 75 per-cent of market value and never above 30 per-cent of income.”
The Aliria website shows the company has one other development at Berserker, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland, in a similar style to the proposal at Gulmarrad, but there is no information the same as what is contained in the letter on the website.
The CV Independent sent Council a photo of the proposed layout asking if more information could be provided on the development.
A Clarence Valley Council spokesperson said Council is not in receipt of a current development application for the depicted development concept.