Cromwell's new $60 million retirement village has gone from the drawing board to construction zone.
Earthworks began last week on the site of the Golden View Lifestyle Village.
One of the project backers, Neil Bulling, said excavators were clearing the site and the next stage would be roading and infrastructure, followed by concrete pads next month for the first four houses.
Those four homes should be completed by Christmas and would be the first of 94 planned for the 7ha site between Iles St and SH6.
"We haven't even got the selling packages out there yet but already have about 80 or so people who have registered their interest,'' Mr Bulling said.
The complex will be built in stages over seven years and includes an adjacent hospital and care facility with a hospice ward and dementia unit.
It was being developed by five shareholders, all Central Otago people, he said, but he would not name them.
"We've got a few things still to finalise and then we'll have the official launch of the project.''
Building consent would be sought soon for the complex's communal building, the 700sq m Golden View Lodge.
It would be include a swimming pool, spa, bar area, cinema, library, crafts area and meeting room.
Mr Bulling's involvement was sparked by some of his relatives having to leave the area to access aged-care facilities.
Golden View will be Cromwell's second retirement village.
It is the fifth retirement village development planned in the region, including retirement lifestyle villages proposed in Alexandra and Clyde and planned expansions of existing villages in Alexandra and Wanaka.
