Affordable housing slated for Lilydale pocket park under Yarra Ranges Council plan

A “RARELY used” Lilydale park could be sold to a charity cooperative for social housing.

Yarra Ranges Cr Terry Avery at a Lilydale park that could be turned into affordable housing. Picture: Daniel Pockett

A “RARELY used” Lilydale park could be sold to a charity cooperative for social housing.

It comes as a Yarra Ranges Council report said the municipality did not have enough social or affordable housing to meet the future needs of the community.

Cr Tim Heenan said the idea was still in its early stages but would include selling the 2024sq m section of land, on the corner of Chapel and Anderson streets, to a charity housing cooperative that would develop it.

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Cr Heenan said the hope was 50 per cent of the dwellings would be sold to private buyers while the remaining would become affordable housing with cheap rent.

He said the site was close to doctors, shopping and other important amenities.

“We have to come together as a community and this is a small start,” Cr Heenan said.

A council report presented at last week’s meeting said the social housing supply for the eastern metropolitan region was significantly below the metropolitan average.

It said in 2014, there was a shortfall of 920 dwellings in the Yarra Ranges suitable for households in the lowest 10 per cent of incomes.

The Leader has previously reported a lack of emergency housing in the outer east, which has led homeless support organisation Anchor to look at building tiny houses.

Anchor chief executive Heidi Tucker supported a mix of private and affordable housing on the Lilydale site.

Ms Tucker said she had spoken at a previous council meetings about the state of homelessness in the Yarra Ranges and lack of State Government social housing in Melbourne’s east.

She said the homeless support sector in the area had recommended the council unlock parcels of unused land for public housing.

“The east has pockets of very deep disadvantage,” Ms Tucker said.

Holy Fools chief executive Neal Taylor said it was a fantastic idea and would be a small way to make a difference.

“It can’t be seen as a ghetto or a place of poverty,” Mr Taylor said.

“We really need a lot more affordable housing and cheaper rentals.”

Cr Terry Avery said social housing was a State Government issue but the council was doing its bit to help out.

“Money raised from this park, which is rarely used, will go toward maintaining other open spaces in the area, particularly Melba Park,” Cr Avery said.

The community will be able to have its say on the idea before it comes back to the council for a decision.