Radius Care marked the start of construction of Radius Applefields, a new purpose-designed, 100-bed care home in Belfast, Christchurch, on September 3rd 2026. 

     

The Radius Applefields Development Ceremony brought together Radius Care leaders, project partners and members of the local community, alongside Minister for Seniors and Associate Minister of Health Hon Casey Costello, Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger and Westland District Council Mayor Helen Lash.

More than five years in the making, the development will provide hospital-level and dementia care for older people across Christchurch and North Canterbury. Radius Care CEO Andrew Peskett said the ceremony represented an exciting milestone for the company and everyone involved in bringing the development to life: “We’re delighted to be building our 26th care home and to have the opportunity to care for more older people in Christchurch. Once completed, Radius Applefields will provide 100 hospital and dementia care beds on this site, alongside a small retirement village. It is a fantastic location, and we are excited about what it will offer residents, families and the wider community.”

A care home designed for the future

Radius Applefields has been planned around the everyday lives of the people who will call it home. The single-storey care home will include shared lounges, dining and activity spaces, accessible design features and specialist areas for residents with more complex needs. Gardens, courtyards and landscaped spaces will bring nature into the heart of the development.

Radius Care GM Development Laurie Peckham acknowledged the journey to reach the construction stage and the many people who contributed along the way. He thanked the architectural, engineering, construction and civil works teams for helping create a design that would be fit for purpose well into the future. “We can’t wait to see the bricks and mortar,” Laurie said.

Building the capacity New Zealand needs

The ceremony followed the release of the Ministerial Advisory Group report on aged care, which identified an urgent need to strengthen New Zealand’s aged-care system and invest in additional capacity. Minister Costello acknowledged the work of Radius Care Executive Chair and founder Brien Cree as a member of the advisory group, which developed 40 recommendations for the future of aged care.

“We have had many reports and reviews commenting on the problems, but this review was able to deliver solutions, and we are moving at pace. The Ministry is now working on advice about how we make those recommendations a reality.”  The Minister added that New Zealand needs a system that helps people live well for longer, while ensuring appropriate care is available when their needs change.  “We need to ensure that we have the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Care homes like this will be critically important. The solutions Radius is building are examples of what that future state looks like.”

 

An investment in a growing community

Mayor Phil Mauger described Radius Applefields as an important asset for Belfast and the wider Christchurch community.
“Our city continues to grow, and so does the number of older residents who choose to call Christchurch home. It is important that they have access to high-quality care close to their families, friends and the communities they are part of. And part of keeping Christchurch’s momentum going is ensuring it remains a great place to grow older,” he said.

The first step in a wider growth plan

Radius Applefields will be the first of 20 new care homes Radius Care plans to build in the coming years. The next proposed development is an 80-bed care home and associated retirement village in Hokitika, with further purpose-designed care homes planned around New Zealand.

Andrew said the programme reflected Radius Care’s commitment to helping address the country’s growing need for residential care.
“We want to ensure older New Zealanders can access the care they deserve after living rich and fulfilling lives. Radius Applefields is the first step in that plan, and we are proud to see construction getting underway.”

Radius Care thanks everyone who attended the Radius Applefields Development Ceremony and the project partners whose expertise and persistence helped bring the development to this milestone.