THE first residents will move into a multi-million dollar aged care centre at Bonny Hills within 15 months if all goes to plan.

Aged care operator IBIS Care plans to start building the development within five months.

The doors should open about 12 months after construction starts.

IBIS Care managing director Natasha Chadwick said the aged care centre would immediately be able to care for 80 people when it opened.

The aged care centre, which will front Ocean Drive, includes 70 hostel places and 10 nursing home beds.

IBIS Care identified a need for more aged care places in the Camden Haven in 2006 and lodged a development application in September last year for the $15 million project.

The company earlier had concerns a development moratorium, restricting new development because of limitations to the Bonny Hills sewage treatment plant, would hold up the project.

That hurdle was overcome in March when Port Macquarie-Hastings Council confirmed that sewage treatment plant would have enough capacity for the development to be connected to the sewer.

The council’s Development Assessment Panel gave the proposal conditional consent on Wednesday.

About 80 staff will be employed at the aged care centre.

Six months into the building process, IBIS Care will start its recruitment drive, followed by training to ensure staff are ready to start work as soon as the centre opens.

Talks will be held with schools, TAFE and the University of Newcastle to identify training opportunities.

“It’s a substantial commitment to the community,” Mrs Chadwick said.

IBIS Care will organise a letter box drop to nearby residents and talk to the Bonny Hills Progress Association to keep the community informed.

“We understand, particularly during the building phase, there is going to be some inconvenience to our neighbours in that time,” she said.

Mrs Chadwick said the company had received fantastic community support and everyone agreed about the need for the aged care centre.

IBIS Care has about 600 aged care beds in facilities across Australia.