Waterbrook Bowral plans unveiled

The development, Waterbrook Bowral, is set to be be located on the corner of Centennial Road and Kirkham Road. 

The plans show the retirement resort will comprise of 135 luxury villas, with an extensive range of onsite facilities including; 24/ 7 concierge, a wellness centre and spa, business centre, lounge spaces, restaurant, bar, ballroom/play theatre and library.

The Joint Regional Planning Panel will assess Waterbrook Seniors Living Development in the coming months. 

If approved, a large portion of the long-vacant buildings, once the heart and home of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart sisters, will receive a dramatic restoration and makeover.

Waterbrook founder and managing director Kevin Ryan said these restored buildings would provide the centrepiece of activity for Waterbrook Bowral residents, as well as provide inviting spaces for Bowral’s various community clubs and associations.

“We have always viewed our resorts as a community asset, and we welcome with open arms any local club or association who will add vibrancy, connectivity and productivity to resort life,” Mr Ryan said. 

Mr Ryan said the development would be the first in the Highlands of it’s kind, featuring five-star luxury, with 24/7 resident services, including a concierge, salon, and an à la carte fine dining restaurant.

Resident facilities would also include a pool, social kitchen, expansive outdoor green spaces, hotel-style lifestyle services and medical management.

Along with the main former school building restoration, Waterbrook will refurbish and retain the brick chapel that exists on the site for resident and community use, while much of the existing gardens and trees will be retained, with a large investment to be made to add to and enhance the existing landscape.

The history of the original site will also be preserved as part of the development, with a library to provide as much historical information on display as possible, including photographs, memoirs and building history.

In early December two community consultations about the development were held and Mr Ryan said he received a very positive response from residents. 

“We had about 80 people in total and it was one of the most successful consultations I’ve been a part of,” he said. “It was extremely positive.” 

The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) owned the 42 acre property for over 100 years.

Prior to the current planning controls coming into force under Wingecarribee Local Environmental Plan 2010, the property was zoned 5a Special Uses (School) under the 1989 plan. This allowed seniors housing to be developed on the property subject to Council approval.

When the new 2010 plan was introduced, the site was rezoned to reflect the surrounding R5 residential zoning. 

However, the 2010 plan recognised the long standing opportunity for seniors housing on the site to ensure that senior housing permissibility was retained. 

Mr Ryan said Bowral was the perfect place for this Watrerbrook development. 

“Our wish is to continue leading the industry in raising the bar in terms of the accommodation and programmes we offer, while providing developments that are sensitive to their local surrounds,” he said.