St Vincent de Paul soon to begin work on social housing apartments for older women

A controversial social housing project in southern Tasmania is finally going ahead. Find out the latest.

A social housing project by St Vincent de Paul for women aged over 55 will go ahead in Argyle St North Hobart. Picture: Maguire + Devine Architects

Work will start soon on a controversial North Hobart social housing project for vulnerable older women after the design was amended through an appeals process.

Housing advocates were outraged when the Hobart City Council last May rejected plans for 38 studio apartments at 210-218 Argyle St despite a recommendation from its own planning experts that the development should go ahead.

The council supported the $16.7m development in July but some neighbours continued to put their opposition to the project before the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

After mediation, the design of the five storey building has been changed with the overall height reduced, changes made to the colour palette and the rooftop redesigned to soften its visual appearance.

Vos Construction will build the apartments which are being developed in partnership by St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia and the St Vincent de Paul Society (Tasmania), supported by Homes Tasmania through the federal government’s social housing accelerator program.

Heather Kent CEO Vinnies Tasmania with Siobhan Fernantzen project director Faction Consulting at the Argyle Street Vinnies in Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia CEO Graham West said he was pleased to be going ahead with construction and the new units would make a real difference to women experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

“As the community housing provider of the St Vincent de Paul Society, we are proud to be working with Homes Tasmania, the federal government, Homes Australia and City of Hobart to deliver this project,” he said.

“The building will provide 38 women with safe and affordable housing right in Hobart, close to services, shops and their communities.”

St Vincent de Paul Society state president Corey McGrath said the good works in this project aligned with the society’s commitment to making a positive impact in the communities it served.

“By making additional enhancements to our current site, we are not only addressing the housing needs of older women, but also fostering a sense of community and support,” he said.

“We are very thankful to the many people who have come together to make this project a reality, it has been a huge effort.”

Urban Design Advisory Panel Chair Scott Balmforth, Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds and Centacare Evolve Housing Partnership and Development Manager Sarah Henley. Picture: City of Hobart

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “so happy to see this well located and designed housing project being built”.

“Our vision for this part of Central Hobart is to see more medium density housing apartments and we are working hard to try to encourage development in this precinct – on Argyle and Campbell Streets, between Federal and Brisbane Streets – which I predict will be a really vibrant part of Hobart within the next decade,” she said.

“We could fast-track the development of this part of Hobart with funding from the federal government’s Housing Support program to get the stormwater infrastructure development ready for more residential buildings.

“We’re really hopeful that the Clark electorate gets a fair share of this important federal housing support program.”

Former Housing Minister and Franklin Labor MP Julie Collins hailed work starting and said the project would provide critical housing for Tasmanian women

“I was incredibly disappointed when this project was initially knocked back and have advocated hard to ensure these homes are built,” she said.

“The Albanese Labor government knows that adding to the supply is the key to ensuring more Tasmanians have a safe and affordable place to call home and that’s why we have invested more than $13m into this project.”

Originally published as St Vincent de Paul soon to begin work on social housing apartments for older women