Social housing redevelopment to turn 20-unit block into a 77-unit block
A Marshall Street property is due to have at least 50 social housing units added to it across a multi-level development, as part of the state government’s social housing agenda.
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A Newtown social housing block is set for a $31.5 million redevelopment that would potentially more than triple its size.
About 20 dwellings at Marshall St, Newtown are due to make way for 77 units at the property off Latrobe Terrace.
A resident who lives about 200m from the proposed development site at 2-12 Marshall St, and who is familiar with the planning process, said the area was zoned to allow for buildings up to 13.5m high.
“We are not opposed to this site being developed but we think it is being overdeveloped. It seems this building will need up to six storeys.”
The project funded by $22.57m from the state government is due to be delivered by Unison housing who will also tip in at least $9m of its own money.
A spokeswoman for Homes Victoria, the government department overseeing the state’s social housing building program, said a planning proposal for the Newtown project had not been assessed.
“Homes Victoria’s community housing partner, Unison housing, is seeking approval to upgrade its social housing at Marshall St, Newtown with planning and design currently underway for the development,” the spokeswoman said.
“The $5.3 billion Big Housing Build is investing ... a minimum ... of $180 million for Greater Geelong.”
The Marshall St resident said one of his biggest concerns about the development was how it would fit with single-storey homes around it.
The resident described the current plan that will be assessed by the state government as “overdevelopment by stealth.”
A notice from Unison housing to renters at the Marshall St property said the organisation would help them find suitable housing when they had to leave so the redevelopment could begin.
“All renters will need to temporarily relocate while the redevelopment takes place. All renters will receive individual support to help them through the process. We expect the development to be finalised in 2024. At that time all previous renters will be supported to move back, if they choose to.”
James Harvey, who lives at the Marshall St social housing block, said in a letter to neighbours there was a lack of consultation about the project.
“To hear what is going to be done in this street and the total lack of consultation by Unison housing and the state government... concerning the project ... we should all be up in arms,” Mr Harvey said.
“We the tenants only heard of this project and our up coming eviction from our homes when the housing manager ... handed out a leaflet.
“One of the main issues is that recently Geelong Gym have put forward a building permit (application) to build a medical centre as part of the gym, meaning more vehicle traffic trying to find parking in an area which is stretched to the maximum already.
“Imagine 77 plus units and the amount of traffic this will cause.
“We all need to ask Unison Housing, the state government and our council if this is the best place to put a multi-storey housing complex on this land?”
The Homes Victoria website says assessment of planning proposals for social housing projects funded by the government will be completed following consultation with the local council and locals.
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Originally published as Social housing redevelopment to turn 20-unit block into a 77-unit block
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