Community support for a retirement lifestyle village in the Alexandra area has heartened the backers, so the project will carry on to the next stage.
Spokesman for Leaning Rock Village Inc Alexandra lawyer Russell Checketts said about 250 people attended a meeting in the town on Thursday night, called to gauge support.
About half that number had registered their interest in the project.
A staged development was planned, with self-care units through to full-care facilities, and the village would be run by a community-owned charitable trust, which would plough profits back into the facilities.
''Because of the goodwill we received at the meeting, from a good cross-section of the community, we believe we've got a mandate to carry on with the plans to the next stage,'' Mr Checketts said.
The trust was also exploring options with Central Otago Health Services Ltd (COHSL), the company that runs Dunstan Hospital, with a view to maybe joining forces on the project.
''A link with them would have decided benefits for the community and give COHSL a separate income it could utilise, '' he said.
COHSL is still in negotiations with the Southern District Health Board (SDHB), which has proposed a 5% cut in funding for the health company this year.
The health company receives 90% of its income from the SDHB and has opposed any cuts, saying it would have to reduce services at the hospital.
The retirement village trust has registered its interest in an 11.1ha block of Central Otago District Council-owned land on the northern edge of Alexandra, next to Dunstan Rd and Molyneux Estate.
The Vincent Community Board will consider the matter at its meeting on Tuesday.
The trust is also looking at using land designated as a reserve, but the designation on the land would have to be lifted.
