Ballina Shire Council receives NSW State Gov funding boost for ‘shop-top’ homes
A flood-affected North Coast town has received a funding boost to secure more diverse housing, but the unique dwellings are not what you would expect.
Regional News
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A flood-affected North Coast town has received a funding boost to secure more diverse housing options – even if that means people will be living on top of a shop.
On Friday, it was announced $210,000 out of the state government’s $100m Resilient Lands Program (RLP) would be given to the Ballina Shire Council to allow more diverse housing stock more than two years on from the devastating northern NSW floods.
The boost will assist council to plan and design affordable medium density housing on Hurley Dr, Lennox Head, as well as increase housing capacity.
The move will increase housing capacity in the Ballina CBD by having shop-top homes.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said on Friday it was the fifth RLP announcement this year.
“This will really accelerate the delivery of flood-resilient land and housing options for people to move off the flood plain,” he said.
“In Ballina it will help deliver a greater range of higher diversity housing options in the CBD and at Lennox Head and potentially add to the social housing stock as well.”
Acting CEO of the Reconstruction Authority Mal Lanyon said the RLP is about giving options to families to gain access to affordable land where they want to live.
“The program is also helping councils to scope out what infrastructure it needs to support really significant housing developments,” he said.
Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said flood-affected communities across the Northern Rivers region have been waiting for safer land and housing options to be identified.
“I’m pleased to see another LGA added to the councils receiving support under the Resilient Lands Program,” she said.
Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said she hopes any council land that comes under the Resilient Lands Program has a significant portion dedicated to either social or affordable housing.
“We need genuine affordable housing for residents in our community, not expensive housing stock that is of more interest to property investors,” she said.
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