Wānaka’s third retirement village is in the works, retirement village giant Metlifecare has confirmed.

The company, which operates 32 North Island retirement villages, has purchased 5.42ha at the Three Parks development where it plans to invest $200M to create a new, top-of-the-line village.

The village will include 120 villas, seven apartments and a residential care facility, and the first stage of construction is hoped to start next year and open for the first residents in 2025.

“We’re really pleased to welcome Metlifecare to Wānaka,” Three Parks developer Allan Dippie said, adding that it would be the first residential project to begin within the development.

Metlifecare operates 32 North Island retirement villages including Waitakere Gardens, pictured, in Henderson. PHOTO: Metlifecare

Metlifecare head of development Matt Wickham said the retirement village project could create up to 140 construction jobs in the Wanaka community during the building phase and another 50 once operational.

Three Parks developer Allan Dippie (right), pictured at the opening of Mitre 10 Mega, said there were more exciting announcements for Three Parks coming in the next few months. PHOTO: Wānaka App

“With large-scale development projects comes multiple opportunities for local businesses and workers,” he said. 

Metlifecare would also be looking to fill a range of positions from village managers and nurses, to kitchen staff and gardeners, Matt said.

While substantial in size, the retirement village will fill just a fraction of the 160ha Three Parks site, which fills a triangle between the Wanaka-Luggate highway, Riverbank Road and Ballantyne Road and already features a range of commercial, retail and recreational buildings, with many more in the works.

The Metlifecare village will be the first residential development within the 160ha Three Parks site, developer Allan Dippie said. PHOTO: Metlifecare

See also: Mountain Warehouse coming to Three Parks

“Metlifecare wants to get started on the project as soon as possible, so from our end we are swinging straight into action with the earthworks to prepare the site together with roading and the extensive underground infrastructure to service such a large development,” Allan said.

“It’s a very exciting project for Wānaka and this announcement will be followed by more significant projects within Three Parks to be announced over the next few months.”

Metlifecare CEO Earl Gaspiach said the location “ticked all the boxes for a premium retirement living destination”. PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka currently has two retirement villages as well as one aged care facility which operates across two sites.