Land suitable for retirement villages is scarce in Wellington. Land large enough and flat enough to build stand-alone villas near the CBD is almost impossible to find.
That’s what makes the new Kilmarnock retirement village in Berhampore so distinctive. Set on a 2.4 ha ridge overlooking the Mornington Golf Course, the development will deliver a community of 68 single-level villas designed specifically for retirees who want to remain close to the central Wellington suburbs and communities they know.
For Stephen Sutorius, owner of property development company Thames Pacific, the site immediately stood out.
“Flat land on this scale in Wellington is incredibly rare,” Sutorius says. “To find a site that allows stand-alone retirement villas rather than high-rise units is almost unheard of.”
The development is being delivered in partnership with Presbyterian Support Central (PSC), which will operate the completed village through its Enliven retirement network. Construction is due to start in April or May and should be completed by May 2028.
A Gap in the Market
Before committing to the project, Thames Pacific commissioned an independent study looking at retirement facilities in Wellington’s southern and eastern suburbs. The findings revealed a clear imbalance between supply and demand.
“There’s really only two retirement villages in Wellington City itself and both are around 20 years old. There hasn’t been much new retirement development happening in the city for a very long time.”
Across the primary catchment area there are currently around 600 retirement village units but demand is estimated to be roughly double that number.
“We’re not even meeting 50 percent of demand at the moment,” Sutorius says. “Even once Kilmarnock is complete, we’ll still only be at about 50 percent if no other development happens.”
Long-term demographic projections suggest the gap will widen further. By 2048, the number of residents aged 70 to 84 within Kilmarnock’s primary catchment is forecast to grow by 86 percent, while the 85-plus population is expected to increase by 184 percent.
“As we all know, New Zealand’s got an ageing population,” Sutorius says. “The demand is only going one way.”
Why This Site Works
In most parts of Wellington, the economics of land force retirement developments to build upwards.
“To make a site stack up, you generally have to go vertical,” Sutorius explains. “Apartments make sense in the city. Stand-alone villas often don’t unless you’re on six or seven hectares out of town.”
But thanks to a development agreement with PSC who own the land, a layout has been devised that is rarely achievable in Wellington – single-level stand-alone villas, each with its own private outdoor courtyard.
“That’s one of the very special things about this project,” Sutorius says. “You’re getting a product that’s very unlikely to happen anywhere else in the central city.”
Designed for the Middle Market
From the outset, Kilmarnock has been positioned differently from many retirement villages.
“It’s not the Rolls-Royce,” Sutorius says. “If you put it in car terms, it’s more like a Mercedes-Benz. A big step up from a Toyota but not super luxury.”
That positioning is deliberate.
“We’re targeting that middle market. People who want something lovely and well-built but affordable.”
Prices reflect that focus. One-bedroom villas start at $598,000, two-bedroom homes at $698,000, and three-bedroom villas with internal garages from $950,000.
“Most houses in the area are north of $1.2 million,” Sutorius says. “So people can sell their family home, buy into the village, and still have a decent chunk of change left over.”
The homes themselves are designed to support independence as residents age. All villas meet Lifemark® 4 standards with wider doorways, flat thresholds and accessible layouts with no trip hazards.
“They’ll all have double glazing, insulation and efficient lighting. They’re as energy efficient as you can get.”
Inside, living areas feature 3.5-metre gable ceilings, designed to maximise light and create a sense of space.
A Village With Purpose
For Presbyterian Support Central, Kilmarnock is the continuation of a long history of retirement village operation. PSC currently runs nine retirement villages and 14 rest homes across the lower North Island through its Enliven network.
General Manager of Property, Anthony Taylor, says the charity deliberately positions its villages differently from corporate operators.
“We’re at the boutique end,” Taylor says. “Our villages are more intimate places where people will know everybody, as opposed to larger ones which are more resort-style.”
Across its existing villages PSC currently manages 198 villas, typically serving the affordable to mid-range market.
Enliven previously ran a small rest home on the Kilmarnock site which was built in 1985. About seven or eight years ago, that ageing facility was demolished and PSC began exploring redevelopment options.
“We initially looked at building a new rest home and a retirement village,” Taylor says. “But we got caught up in the market changes with rising construction costs and knew we didn’t have the capability or resources to develop it ourselves.”
The project stalled, leaving a partially prepared site with substantial groundwork already completed. PSC considered selling the site and many private developers wanted to snap up the land for residential housing.
Thames Pacific’s proposal was different.
“Stephen’s concept allowed us to keep the site connected to retirement living, which was important to us. We were fairly resolute to try and hang onto the land if we possibly could. So to finally have a solution that was workable, and to have something built on that site after all the hard work we’ve put into it, is really exciting.”
Under the development agreement, PSC provides the land while Thames Pacific delivers the design and build expertise. Once completed, PSC will operate the village long-term.
Community Without the Country Club
Unlike some larger retirement developments, Kilmarnock deliberately avoids high-end amenities such as movie theatres, lap pools or spas. Instead, the focus is on practical and enjoyable facilities that suit the scale of the community.
At its centre will be a community hub offering shared spaces for socialising. Plans include a lounge and dining area with a domestic-style kitchen, room for activities such as Pilates or indoor bowls, and a quiet library space overlooking the nearby golf course.
“We’ll have a barbecue area and deck facing the setting sun. So there’s plenty of opportunity for people to mix and get together,” Taylor explains.
Outdoor plans include a workshop for residents who enjoy hands-on projects, a shared garden area for growing vegetables, and even a croquet lawn and practice putting green. Another planned feature is a landscaped “bird garden” designed to attract local birdlife, with seating for residents to relax and enjoy the surroundings.
Charitable Mission
Because PSC is a registered charity, providing aged care and social work services, any revenue generated from Kilmarnock will be ploughed straight back into the community.
“Any money we make from these villas will go back into supporting our business,” Taylor says. “This village will give us the ability to renovate our other rest homes and add more rooms to them. We’ve got a goal to build a network of about 500 villas in the next 10 years which will put us in a really strong financial position.”
Strong Early Demand
Early interest in Kilmarnock confirms the development is filling a long-standing gap in Wellington’s retirement market.
Jason Lange, Sales Consultant at Tommy’s Real Estate, says the response since the villas went on the market in November 2025 has been immediate and consistent.
“When this was launched – single-level villas on a really picturesque site that’s private and sunny – not only local Wellingtonians, but a lot of people from out of area rung and said, ‘we’ve been waiting for something like this. We don’t want to go into an apartment or a townhouse style of village.’”
That demand has come largely from Wellington’s southern and eastern suburbs, where many long-time residents want to remain close to family and familiar communities such as Berhampore, Island Bay, Houghton Bay, Miramar and Seatoun.
Word of mouth has also played a major role. “Someone’s signed up and told their friend, and their friend and so on and so forth.”
At the same time, enquiries have come from further afield – including Kerikeri, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Tauranga, Nelson and Christchurch – often from people wanting to move closer to children and grandchildren who live in Wellington.
The buyer profile is broad.
“We’ve got everyone from ex-businessmen to nurses, teachers, and tradesmen. There’s a guy who used to own a supermarket and a 74-year-old who still works as a painter and loves getting up a scaffold.”
Pricing That Works
Lange says the affordable pricing strategy has also resonated with buyers, particularly in the current property market.
“Some of these retirement villages’ prices have gone up and have become out of reach for a lot of people, because prices for their own homes have come down in the past few years.”
He believes Thames Pacific has struck the right balance.
“If developers price it too high, you won’t get any sales. But you know within the first two or three weeks of a project marketing whether it’s going to work or not, and Kilmarnock has definitely got it right.
“Over half the villas are already secured, with sales averaging three to four per week.”
Buyers can sign up for a villa with a $2000 refundable deposit, with no further commitment required until early 2028.
“A lot of buyers have gone in with confidence. Now that we’re at the bottom of New Zealand’s property sales cycle, prices for their homes will start to go up, and in two years’ time when they go to sell, they should have some more appreciation.”
A sales suite is now open on site at 20 Morton Street from 10am-4pm daily. “It’s really important that people can come and visit and look at where their villa’s going to be situated and what outlook they will get. It’s a really sunny site and is sheltered from Wellington’s prevailing winds.”
Staying Close to Home
For 83-year-old Tony O’Riordan, Kilmarnock offers something simple but important – the chance to remain in the community he has called home for more than half a century.
Tony and his wife, Clare, emigrated from Dublin in 1967 and bought their Island Bay home two years later. “We’ve been there ever since,” Tony says.
The couple raised three children there and now have four grandchildren and one great-grandchild living nearby. “We’re in close contact with our family,” Tony says. “They’re all here in Wellington, and that’s important to us.”
But the terrain of their family home is becoming more challenging. To reach the front door, Tony and Clare currently climb 29 steps and walk up a steep path from the street. It was their children who first suggested it might be time to think about downsizing to somewhere easier to access.
“You’re conscious of the fact that you won’t be climbing up hills forever,” Tony says with a laugh.
Discovering Kilmarnock
The Kilmarnock development first came onto Tony’s radar through family. The location immediately appealed. Kilmarnock sits just a short distance from their current home, overlooking the same golf course that Tony has played for years.
“I used to joke when I was on the eighth hole that I’d be looking down from up there someday, telling people how well I played that hole,” he says. “And now I actually will be.”
Remaining near Island Bay is important to Tony. “We’ve liked living in Island Bay. A lot of other suburbs don’t appeal to me at all. To stay here would be good.” The location means the couple would not need to change much about their daily routines. The hospital, their doctor and familiar neighbourhood services would all remain close by.
Tony, who worked in the building industry for decades, is also impressed with the design of the villas. “I did like the design. I couldn’t really fault it.”
If the couple secures the villa they have their eye on, Tony expects the outlook will be just as appealing as their current home. “The view there is good,” he says. “Where we’re looking, we’d have a very nice outlook across the bay and the golf club.
“I think we’d be happy living there.”