News

Residents will be consulted on social housing proposal: mayor

By Darren Linton

Dec 22, 2021

Consultation will happen: Ratepayers can have a say when the proposal to sell the air space above Shepparton’s Maude and Nixon streets car park is advertised in January. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Kim O’Keeffe has reassured residents they will have ample opportunity to be heard about a proposal for public housing to be built above Shepparton’s Maude and Nixon steets car park.

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Cr O’Keeffe said councillors’ phones had already been ringing with people concerned by the proposal to partner with Wintringham and BeyondHousing to develop a four-storey complex with public and private parking and 30 one- and two-bedroom units.

At the December meeting, councillors voted to advertise the intention to sell the air space above the land for the development, which Cr O’Keeffe said was just the first opportunity for public feedback.

“It is just the beginning of this discussion,” she said.

Council will retain a right to have a say in the final design, as part of the memorandum of understanding to be finalised with the social housing entities, but the motion carried at the meeting also provides in-principle support for the project.

“We’ve had lots of phone calls in regard to concerns about what is going to be developed there,” Cr O’Keeffe said.

“It is always difficult and hard when something is a little different.”

Cr O’Keeffe said she had personal knowledge of the need for social housing and urged the community not to label or stereotype the community members who would benefit from such a development.

“There is never going to be a perfect location but our needs have grown over the past two years more than ever,” she said.

“There is a lot of housing stress, it is a changing space — a lot of vulnerable people in housing stress now are people that are working.”

Rising rents and a shortage of properties have been exacerbated by a hot property market during the past year.

More than 1000 people are on a waiting list for public housing and Cr O’Keeffe said the city’s homelessness problem had grown significantly.

“It would provide excellent amenity for future residents and enable them to access secure and appropriate housing that is within close proximity to all essential services and support that they need,” she said.

“However, before council can consider such a proposal we must first consult with residents and businesses in the area to understand how they feel about the sale of the land. We look forward to receiving this feedback next year.”