Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei partners with Generus Living on retirement village redevelopment
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is partnering with upscale retirement village owner and operator, Generus Living Group, on the redevelopment of Eastcliffe Retirement Village.
Under the arrangement, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei retains ownership of the iconic 2.5-hectare Ōrākei site overlooking the Waitematā Harbour under a 125-year lease agreement. Generus Living will acquire a long-term interest in the land, take over the current operation and develop a new village.
The original Eastcliffe, established in 2000, faced several challenges over the years primarily around water tightness. This led to a majority of the village, having to be demolished in 2017, and ongoing issues with other units.
Plans to redevelop were put on hold in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic uncertainties.
Ngarimu Blair, Deputy Chair of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust describes the partnership as significant: “Our partnership with Generus Living enables us to realise the full potential of our whenua while ensuring that this development benefits our whānau and the wider community.”
“The partnership brings both financial and social benefits to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. The iwi will receive a capital payment and a long-term income stream from a share in the deferred management fees generated by the village.
“Additionally, our whānau will benefit from education, employment, and business opportunities. Generus Living will also fund a scholarship for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei tauira (students) in the health sector,” he said.
The purchase of the lease for the site is conditional on obtaining fast-track resource consent, and if granted the new development will be named ‘The Point Mission Bay’ which reflects the village’s location at Takaparawhau (Bastion Point), the deep connection to the whenua for the iwi and adjacency to Mission Bay.
The village development will have significant economic benefits to the area, with the project estimated to stimulate some $336 million into the economy by providing jobs and significant flow-on economic benefits to the local community through the construction phases.
Generus Living Director, Graham Wilkinson, said Generus Living was drawn to Takaparawhau, as an iconic location, not just for its unparalleled views of the Waitematā and Hauraki Gulf or adjacency to Mission Bay, but also for the opportunity to partner with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, who Generus Living respect as a values-led and astute iwi that share a strong commitment to long-term sustainability.
“Our plans for this site will create a landmark in keeping with the remarkable natural surroundings. The Point Mission Bay will comprise five interconnected buildings, providing for around 250 retirement apartments with village access off Aotea Street beside Mission Bay.
“As part of the project, we will also retain the main care building near Kupe Street at the top of the site which will undergo significant refurbishment and remediation. It will contain 60 care apartments, including a memory care level as well as 28 care beds, Wilkinson said. “Having care available from the initial stages of village development will provide certainty to village residents for their long-term future.”
Ngarimu Blair added: “Generus Living has a strong-track record for developing and operating high-quality retirement villages that place people at the heart of everything they do.
“Importantly, their values resonate strongly with ours — they understand our aspirations for the site and for our people, and they’ve shown a genuine commitment to working in partnership with us to realise that vision.”
Eastcliffe is currently home to around 75 residents who will transition to The Point Mission Bay under the ownership and operation of Generus Living, subject to fast-track resource consent approval.
Refurbishment of the village’s main care building is scheduled to start in early 2026, with the village development to follow shortly after.
The Point Mission Bay will be the seventh retirement village for Generus Living, whose collection includes The Foundation in Parnell.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei remains committed to honouring the legacy of our tūpuna through initiatives that support the wellbeing of our whānau and the wider community for today, and for generations to come.
