Second bid to redevelop old Ritz Nursing Home divides community

A NSW aged care provider who is trying to resurrect an old nursing home in the Blue Mountains for the second time is facing opposition from locals.

Developer Pathways – a residential aged care provider that has four other locations across the state – has lodged an application with the NSW Planning Portal to renovate the old Ritz Nursing Home in Leura.

The Ritz Nursing Home was previously an aged care facility run by Milstern, until it was shut down in 2018 following a failed audit into its quality of care.

The application outlines plans to restore the heritage-listed building to its previous glory days with 120 beds, along with plans to extend the main building.

It also plans to also transform the former manager’s residence into a wellness centre, and reshape the historic landscaped gardens.

However, while some locals such as Lois Ruth support the project, stating she is “delighted that the Ritz will be tidied up”, she also listed concerns over the height and parking issues in the area.

“Leura has limited community parking available now and this project appears to require a significant number of additional parking spaces for both staff and visitors to the new facility,” Ms Ruth said.

“The streets adjacent to the Ritz will be overused for the additional parking required and this will place local residents from these streets under unnecessary pressure should they need parking for their own visitors.”

Karina Kelly took issue with the planned two new three-storey south and west wings to be built.

“It is above regulation height, it is beyond regulation setback and it crowds and overshadows its neighbours to the south in an unreasonable way,” she wrote.

“Further, the proposal seeks to mass the buildings hard against the southern neighbours who will lose access to light, be bothered by a 24 hour entryway onto a street entirely unsuited to heavy traffic.”

Pathways will now be able to respond to the submissions made, and had previously said its aim was to bring “much-needed, high-quality residential aged care accommodation” to Leura.

“The Blue Mountains population is older and ageing faster than the NSW average,” a spokesperson said.

“The proposal will assist in meeting the urgent and growing need for seniors housing.”