Mission Australia lodges operation works application for McLeod St social unit tower

A huge social housing development planned for Cairns city is inching toward a construction kick off with the lodging of latest development applications with Cairns Regional Council.

The ground floor plan showing the care centre and shop on McLeod St. Picture: Supplied

A huge social housing development planned for Cairns City is inching toward a construction kick off with the lodging of latest development applications with Cairns Regional Council.

The latest application follows conditional approval in May for a multiple dwelling material change of use application.

Mission Australia plans to build a nine storey building containing 73 social housing units across four lots at 140-146 McLeod St.

An operational works application has been now lodged with Cairns Regional Council. Picture: Supplied

A total of 45 one-bedroom units and 28 two-bedroom are planned for the site.

While a large section of the new building’s floor area is made up of a vacant block, the Total Fitness personal training studio and an old Queenslander at the corner of Upward St on the fourth lot will be demolished to make way for new units.

A development application submitted to Cairns Regional Council last year outlined a rental vacancy rate consistently sitting below 1 per cent which has led to “considerable constraint” on social and affordable housing within the Cairns local government area.

“This application seeks to secure the relevant approvals for a development that will meaningfully contribute to improving the social housing crisis in Cairns,” the DA reads.

Under the shop, office, and community care centre application commercial or retail uses are expected for the lower and ground floor stories which are all considered code accessible under the Cairns Plan 2016 Mixed Use Zone.

Mission Australia plans to build a nine storey building containing 73 social housing units across four lots at 140-146 McLeod St. Picture: Supplied

A total of 56 parking spaces are proposed on-site, including seven visitor bays, which according to the DA would “adequately cater” for the peak parking demand.

The proposal would increase the surrounding on-street parking provision by 14 spaces expected to “adequately cater” for commercial and retail customers.

The operational works application lodged earlier this month outlines the results of geotechnical investigations and how asbestos contaminated soil will be remediated.

An artist render of revealing the vision for the Mission Australia social housing units on McLeod St. Picture: Supplied

“Works will require the removal and disposal to a licensed facility of all contaminated material, and the replacement of material with suitable fill,” the works application states.

Mission Australia has an integrated nationwide service to help people find safe and affordable housing and has a long history of working with government to address the current housing crisis.

“A home is also a fundamental and universal human right, housing is critical infrastructure in terms of creating upward social and economic mobility,” the DA states.

The advancing of new social homes in Cairns follows a $2.8bn state government budget investment earlier this month in the Homes for Queenslanders scheme.

Included in the strategy is a plan to build one million more homes, including 53,500 social homes, help for first homeowners, more rights and financial support for renters, and an uplift in funding for homelessness services.

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Originally published as Mission Australia lodges operation works application for McLeod St social unit tower