Sales and marketing manager of The Orchards Anton Persico with future resident Jenny Smith. PHOTO/KAREN COLTMAN
KAREN COLTMAN
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Plum trees remaining at what was Murphy’s Orchard in Greytown are blossoming among humming skill saws and hammering by builders of The Orchards Retirement Village.
A year after consent was gained for the Reading St complex, the show home is nearly constructed – and the roof is on. It is due for completion in December. Clearing of trees, landscaping, and laying of basecourse for concrete is underway, and driveways are mapped out.
One hundred and eighty villas are to be built on the 14ha site.
Greytown resident Jenny Smith, one of 11 people already signed up to purchase a villa, has been visiting the site and already meets up with other owners monthly.
“I like to be where I can see people on the street and the school is across the road, so I am happy with the position of my villa,” Smith said.
The 83-year-old is not so keen on trees that block the sunshine on one side of her site and had spoken to marketing manager Anton Persico about it. He assured her these could be thinned, or some taken out.
Smith was pleased however that her little fox terrier, Ginga, can move in with her.
She owns a property in Greytown with a large section which she loves, and said she will miss her neighbours and has a lot of clearing up to do before her move-in-date, scheduled in the first half of next year.
“I am a bit scared of moving but I guess the time has come and I have family to help,” she said.
Persico said the developers were keeping a good quantity of plum trees from the hundreds that were on the site.
“They are historical and still produce fruit, which we think residents will use to make jam or just enjoy,” Persico said.
“The old gardens from the Murphy family home are remaining to enhance the landscape.
“I’m keen to have children visiting and staying overnight at times and making this place a very open style of village that is part of the community.”
Persico was employed by owners Craig Percy and Tumu Group to market the village and intends to continue as events manager when the village opens.
When complete The Orchards will need around 300 employees.
Holmes Construction are contracted to build the villas.
