Gold Coast inter-generational care facility to be developed

A company connected with Justin Laboo, former CEO of Affinity Education Group (AEG), has purchased a 7,732 sqm site in Robina on the Gold Coast that is to be developed into a 148 room inter-generational care facility adjacent to a new 95 place early education centre, the Gold Coast Bulletin has reported.

 

Mr Laboo was CEO with AEG for 2 years and also spent more than 7 years at aged-care provider Aveo.

 

The site cost $9.9 million and was purchased by a company linked to Sunsuper-linked real estate investment trust, Catalyst Health REIT at which Mr Laboo is currently CEO, the Gold Coast Bulletin said.

 

The development will be the final part of the City Village master plan community in Robina, and comes in the wake of the announcement of a similar project to be built in Perth this year by Oryx Communities.

 

With recent research pointing to the value of multigenerational care facilities for both children and the elderly, the developments by both Oryx Communities and AEG potentially herald a new chapter in early childhood education and care (ECEC) development opportunities.

 

The Gold Coast Bulletin quotes Robina Group development manager and director Darrell Irwin as saying the facility would set a new benchmark for both aged and child care in Australia

 

“The inter-generational model has proven to be highly successful overseas, including in the US and Europe, with benefits for both young children and the elderly.” Mr Irwin said. 

 

The original article, as posted in The Gold Coast Bulletin can be accessed here.