The site of the former Belmont Sporties could be home to more than 150 seniors if two developments planned for the derelict premises go ahead.
A development application has recently been lodged for a three-storey, 75 unit, seniors housing development on the former club building land.
It comes after the popular Sporties club closed in 2018 and has since been destroyed by a fire which broke out earlier this year.
The $34 million project at 2A Maude Street would include two- and three-bedroom apartments, landscaped gardens and recreation facilities above a basement carpark.
The development would sit alongside another seniors housing development on the former Sporties bowling green at 2B Maude Street, which has been approved by Lake Macquarie City Council. The approved development is for a single-storey residential care facility with 80 single occupancy rooms.
That development by Arcare was approved in September last year with deferred commencement, requiring further investigation for stormwater management. This matter is currently being resolved between the applicant and council.
The latest plans to develop the site are currently on exhibition with Lake Macquarie City Council, but will be decided upon by the Hunter Joint Regional Planning Panel due to the dollar value of the project.
The developer Oak Tree Retirement Villages Group operates retirement villages around the country including Boolaroo, Cardiff, Rutherford and a soon to be constructed facility at Jesmond.
Oak Tree national manager - new projects Melissa Luck said the project would provide "much-needed quality accommodation for the area's rapidly aging population".
"Our community is getting older, living longer, households are smaller, and people are struggling to find homes they can manage at a price they can afford," she said.
"In the next 10 years, people over the age of 65 will be the fastest growing cohort in our community and the number of people over 75 will increase by more than 30 per cent."
The organisation is planning to write to clubs who use the nearby Belmont Sports Fields, which are also set to soon be redeveloped as part of a master plan for the site adopted by council.
The aim of the masterplan is to create a multi-functional sporting precinct suitable for regional and state competitions, including large-scale sports carnivals.
A council spokesperson said design work was under way on stage 1 of the new Belmont Sports Complex, and is expected to be complete in late 2022.
Construction work is expected to be completed in stages from 2023 onwards, subject to external funding contributions to assist with construction costs.
