Our main focus is on strategies to development low cost and affordable housing (see accompanying page on Housing Affordability for background information) in the Northern Rivers Region. We have three strategies for working in this area.
Local Land Strategy
- Identify a range land in the Northern Rivers that is owned by local government, non-government organisations or benevolent individuals that would be suitable for various types of affordable and specialised housing. Typical land would include surplus land adjoining churches or local hospital trusts or owned by service and sporting clubs;
- Consult with key stakeholders, in particular the owners or the representatives of owners to see if they are in interested in developing the land as housing;
- Determine through consultation what resources the local community may have to offer and determine what type of project they think would appropriate;
- Consult with wider government and non-government agencies such as funding bodies and community housing organisations in order to broker effective partnerships;
- Prepare sketch designs and prepare feasibility study;
- Document and project manage the building of new housing projects;
Three examples of the types of projects that might emerge include:
- A new style boarding house allowable under the SEPP Affordable Rental Housing 2009 – New Generation Boarding Houses, which would provide simple bed-sitter accommodation for individuals managed by a community housing organisation.
- Some form of supported accommodation for either elderly or disabled community people.
- A small number of simple independent dwellings grouped on land that is part of a church.
- A single secondary dwelling (up to 60sqm) that is adjacent to an existing dwelling under SEPP Affordable Rental Housing 2009 – Granny Flat
In 2008-2009 we prepared designs for a feasibility study for Byron Shire Council. This is an example of a slightly larger scale medium density development.
- Byron Shire Council Station Street Affordable Housing Feasibility Study.
- Mullumbimby Hospital Trust feasibility study.
Granny Flat Project
The SEPP Affordable Rental Housing 2009 – Granny Flat provision is probably the most effective means to create affordable housing at present. This provision allows anyone with an urban block (zonings R1-4 under the new LEP template) of land to create a secondary dwelling of up to 60sqm in size on their land, without any form of subdivision.
In relation to this provision we are doing the following:
- Publicising the existence of the SEPP;
- Advocating for Councils to relax development contributions on secondary dwellings; and
- Provide building design and project management services.
Building Design Services
We provide design, documentation and project management services for building projects.