墨尔本外环东区Ringwood也要建廉租公房

像Doncaster一样，墨尔本外环东区Ringwood也要建廉租公房了。

Home and hosed: apartment plan gets OK

6/10/2009 Maroondah Journal

A CONTROVERSIAL proposal for a social housing development in Ringwood has been approved by the State Government.

Eastern Metropolitan MP Shaun Leane said last week construction would begin this year on the nine-storey, 80-apartment project, at 4-10 Larissa Avenue.

The $24 million project, which was fast-tracked by the Government earlier this year, would create 76 direct and 29 indirect construction jobs.

It will include semi-basement car parking, ground-floor ancillary services and eight upper levels with two-bedroom, two-bedroom and a study, and three-bedroom apartments.

"The Larissa Avenue project is part of Victoria's largest-ever social housing program, which is providing much-needed housing across various municipalities as well as job certainty and real economic stimulus," Mr Leane said.

The apartments will house residents who are homeless or at risk of homelessness (about 20 per cent), people on the public housing waiting list (55 per cent) and low-wage earners (at least 25 per cent).

Warrandyte Liberal MP Ryan Smith said the Government had been "extraordinarily arrogant" and ignored thousands of residents who opposed the development.

"The Government was well aware of the potential for opposition from local residents. That is why they sought to keep the development proposal a secret, with no announcements made and nothing but silence from the minister's office over recent months."

Mr Smith said he had "no problem" with "much-needed" social and public housing in his electorate, but believed the Larissa Avenue project would strain existing services and "increase fears of potential incidences of crime".

"The haste with which the Federal Government stimulus funds need to be spent has meant that an unsuitable development has been approved in a manner that has disenfranchised a community."

Maroondah Mayor Peter Gurr said the council had not been notified that a planning permit had been granted.

"Council was asked by the Department of Planning and Community Development on September 25 to provide comments on the proposed development by September 28."

He said council officers worked across the weekend to meet the deadline."