Date: 2008-05-05
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A $7.4 million Brumby Government blitz will deliver 40 new units of public housing and provide for the upgrade of 30 existing properties in Norlane. Housing Minister Richard Wynne joined Western Victoria MLC Gayle Tierney to announce the boost to public housing and the benefits to public housing tenants in Norlane today.
(Media-Newswire.com) - A $7.4 million Brumby Government blitz will deliver 40 new units of public housing and provide for the upgrade of 30 existing properties in Norlane.
Housing Minister Richard Wynne joined Western Victoria MLC Gayle Tierney to announce the boost to public housing and the benefits to public housing tenants in Norlane today.
“The Brumby Government is taking action to reduce disadvantage and today’s announcement of this $7.4 million project is just the first phase of a $40 million Norlane Blitz I announced last year,” Mr Wynne said.
“Ultimately this commitment from the Brumby Government will provide 200 new affordable homes and upgrades 100 public housing properties.
“These new homes will incorporate the latest environmental friendly features and will have a minimum five-star energy efficiency rating. That’s a win for the environment and a win for the tenants through lower energy bills.”
Ms Tierney said that a key feature of the development was the flexibility that would allow for a range of people to be accommodated with different circumstances.
“The 40 new homes, which will replace older units that are no longer suitable, will consist of 26 two-bedroom homes, two four-bedroom houses, five two-bedroom older persons units, and one one-bedroom older persons unit,” Ms Tierney said.
“The development will also include six one-bedroom units with a smaller second bedroom, making them ideal for a single parent with a child or for older people who may have grandchildren sleeping over.”
Town planning permits have been granted and work on the new homes is expected to start in June this year.
Mr Wynne also announced the upgrade of another 30 Norlane homes, with work including fencing, paving replacement, internal and external painting, gutter replacement, provision of safety switches and bathroom and kitchen repairs.
While in Norlane Mr Wynne also took the opportunity to officially open the new Community Contact Point in Yooringa Avenue as part of Neighbourhood Renewal; a demountable unit formerly part of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games Village where it was used by the Ugandan team.
Known to locals as 61Y, the new building will be used as a community facility. It includes work spaces for up to 10 paid and volunteer workers, a large meeting space which can accommodate 30, a kitchenette and community access to ICT equipment.
“Neighbourhood Renewal in Corio and Norlane started in December 2002. Since then this Government has invested more than $28 million in Neighbourhood Renewal projects in the area, including more than 1,240 upgrades to publicly owned homes,” Mr Wynne said.
“I’d like to thank everybody involved in this project and most importantly, the residents of Corio and Norlane for their hard work and enthusiasm.”