Palms Lifestyle Village

New Zealand faces a major demographic shift: the retirement-age population is set to almost double over the coming decades. This creates an urgent demand for well-designed villages that balance safety, support, and independence for older Kiwis. Our client’s vision was to develop a new lifestyle community that would meet these needs while enhancing the wellbeing and amenity of its residents. To achieve this, they required comprehensive planning, surveying, and engineering input across multiple disciplines.

Cook Costello was engaged to deliver the engineering and surveying backbone of the 10-hectare Palms Lifestyle Village; a project delivered in three stages over ten years. The completed development includes 168 villas, 55 apartments, and a suite of 16 care units and community buildings.

Our multidisciplinary team provided:

• Land surveying – scheme plans, construction set-out, as-builts, and certification

• Geotechnical investigations – hazard assessment, analysis of ground conditions, reports with recommendations to reduce risks

• Civil design – earthworks, roading, pavements, and stormwater management

• Structural design – retaining walls, foundations, and building structures

• Construction monitoring & certification – ensuring quality and compliance throughout the construction phase
  

By working collaboratively across disciplines, we were able to deliver tailored, creative solutions that added value to both the client and future residents:

• A natural stream was reimagined as a water feature, combining function with aesthetic appeal.

• The building layouts were carefully planned to maximise sun, privacy, and amenity.

• A staged design approach provided flexibility for the client to manage investment and delivery.

• Our integrated team approach ensured seamless coordination, reduced risks, and created efficiencies throughout the project life cycle.
  

The Palms Lifestyle Village is now a thriving community that demonstrates how smart engineering, thoughtful design, and collaboration can shape the future of retirement living in New Zealand. Cook Costello is proud to have played a key role in bringing this vision to life.