By Paul McBethNorthland Inc, the regional council's economic development arm, wants to find out whether there's a viable market to build a retirement village in Dargaville as part of a plan to lure a growing number of semi-retired workers keen to quit the rat-race in Auckland. The local body agency has issued a tender for a feasibility study into developing a high-end, community-based retirement village in Dargaville on behalf of the town's newly formed community development board and Kaipara Grey Power who expect it would "yield both private and public benefits for the area". The study wants to determine whether the proposed market is suitable for a retirement village development, which previous investigations have estimated would cost between $3 million and $5 million, and identify the economic and social impacts a project would have on the region. Wilson said he's not a "doomsdayer" when it comes to the country's ageing population, as "over-65s have an awful lot to offer, particularly in rural areas." Summerset will "continue to monitor the region, and others, closely for potential investment opportunities," she said.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 31, 2017 17:37 UTC