It was 12 years ago that Bill and Imelda Roche purchased a 1.5 hectare parcel of land from Greater Taree City Council to develop a retirement living community on the site at Harrington.

That dream became the Roche Group’s Hamptons at Harrington Waters and the first residents will move into stage one in the next six to eight weeks. The second stage of 24 two- and three-bedroom villas at the Over 55s Torrens Title estate are now being sold off the plan.

There are seven custom-designed villa styles, with facades and floor plans crafted by RIBA Homes, which is also owned by the Roche Group. Bill and Imelda Roche established cosmetic brand Nutrimetics in Australia and now have a worth of $1.5 billion.

There will be 170 villas on the land when the final sixth stage is built. A three-bedroom, two-bathroom villa costs from $690,000.

The first residents of Hamptons will have exclusive access to the Residents’ Leisure Club, a meeting place, exercise and recreation facility with a fully equipped kitchen, private pool, gym, and tennis court.

The Over 55s community is inspired by the Hamptons style pioneered in New York, US.

Harrington Waters, next to Crowdy Bay National Park, the township of Harrington and the mouth of the Manning River, is 336km north of Sydney and 34km northeast of Taree. It is a 172ha residential estate of 1,100 homes with a nine-hole golf course, shopping centre, and a Harrigan’s Irish Pub, all built and owned by the Roche Group.

Torrens is a land title system, where the owner of the property owns the land and the building on it, and pay council rates, water bills and power costs. At Hamptons, residents have also to pay a levy which is $26.50 a week.