New gay retirement village mooted

Developers of a new Melbourne-based GLBT retirement village are calling on the community to voice their opinions on how they would like to be catered for in older age.

A survey is running until the end of April to garner the community’s ideas and thoughts on what they would like to see in a GLBT retirement complex.

Behind the project is lesbian businesswoman Deborah Peppard, who has seen the unfettered market potential for a retirement facility that caters specifically to the GLBT market.

For the last 12 months, she has been working with property developer Ray Werden and local entrepreneur Geoff Manchester on the proposal earmarked for metropolitan Melbourne.

If established, the retirement haven will become the second of its kind in Australia. Property developer Peter Dickson launched his $26 million Linton Estate GLBT country retirement project in Ballan last year.

Peppard said she hopes to set up an agreement where the two retirement villages could do home swaps for the best of country and city living.

Building plans are expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

info: The survey is at hrstaffnstuff.com.au/GLBTretirementproject