BADGE announced as Head Contractor for $200M+ Minda Master Plan

Leading disability services organisation, Minda, has announced the appointment of BADGE as Head Contractor for Stage One of its Brighton Master Plan development, with construction soon to begin on the Brighton Dunes retirement apartments, Minda residential homes and apartments.

CEO Cathy Miller said a comprehensive tender and evaluation process had allowed Minda to identify the best company with the capability and experience for such a significant South Australian project.

"This is the biggest project in Minda’s 115-year history and currently the largest of its type anywhere in Australia, so it was critical to select a Head Contractor that offered experience in complex developments that could work with us to turn our dream into a reality,” Ms Miller said.

“It is important that we get this development right because the core reason behind our Master Plan has always been to provide new accommodation for the people we support and replace existing accommodation and facilities at Minda that have become out-dated and are no longer fit for purpose,” she said.

“We want our Master Plan to create a high quality, integrated, affordable, sustainable urban village that can be enjoyed by everyone in the community, and offer a range of housing options, that promote best practice in Universal Design Principles and Ageing in Place.”

BADGE State Manager, Nick Abley said “Our team couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this community project.  Many of the expert personnel who will work to create the vision for Minda’s Master Plan, have been involved in the project since we first flagged our interest in the works nearly twelve months ago. 

“To realise this first stage of the Master Plan will allow such benefit to the South Australian community, it makes us incredibly proud to be a partner in the project.”

Minda’s Master Plan concept for its 28-hectare site at Brighton was first developed in 2007, and significant consultation, collaboration and planning with various key groups has been pivotal in reaching the beginning of construction.

“Creating an urban village that offers leading edge accommodation and services to South Australians with intellectual disability will allow Minda to deliver support that is contemporary, individualised and tailored around each person’s wants, needs and aspirations, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” Ms Miller said.

“This will be a vibrant, mixed-use precinct that everyone in the community will be able to enjoy, and will provide purpose-built facilities for lifestyle activities such as pottery, arts, crafts and music, practitioner suites and child care options, as well as retail opportunities,” she said.

Stage 1 will see multi-level retirement apartments constructed in the north western corner of the site, as well as new accommodation that offers 62 new bedrooms for existing Minda clients. A three-storey apartment building consisting of 17 apartments will house 23 residents, while another 39 residents will move into eight new houses and two exceptional needs houses.

Completion of Minda’s residential houses and residential apartments and Stage 1 of Brighton Dunes are due for completion later next year.