墨市东区Doncaster中心地带或建“难民楼”

95-99 Tram Rd DONCASTER Hill will soon become Manningham’s affordable housing hub with a 98-unit building to go up in Tram Rd.

据2009年9月16日《Manningham Leader》报道，位于墨尔本华人聚居的东区Doncaster的95-99 Tram Rd DONCASTER Hill即将兴建一栋廉租楼，安置低收入人士和难民。

Public housing tower planned for Doncaster

16 Sep 09 @ 07:00am by Jordaine Liddy

DONCASTER Hill will soon become Manningham’s affordable housing hub with a 98-unit building to go up in Tram Rd.

Plans for the tower, which will be a mix of affordable and social housing at 95-99 Tram Rd and house more than 150 people, were revealed by Eastern Metropolitan state Labor MP Brian Tee last week.

The federally funded building is due to be completed by 2011, but neither Manningham Council nor the State Government could say whether any community consultation would be held before construction starts.

The 2071sq m land pocket will be developed into 48 one-bedroom apartments, 30 two-bedroom apartments and 20 three-bedroom apartments.

Mr Tee said the project had come at the right time for the city.

“Housing affordability is at an all-time low and we know people are struggling,” Mr Tee said.

“That is why this development is so vital - it gives local people doing it hard a boost.”

Department of Human Services figures show that at March there were just under 5000 people waiting for public housing in the Eastern metropolitan area.

Doncare chief executive Doreen Stoves said she was “thrilled” about the project.

“There is a huge, huge waiting list for affordable housing,” Ms Stoves said.

Manningham Mayor Charles Pick welcomed the announcement, but stressed the council was keen to view plans for the development.

“The State Government announcement will be a major win for pensioners and local battling families being squeezed out of the Manningham housing market,” Cr Pick said. He cited a “significant undersupply of affordable housing” and said the council was seeking a full briefing on the development.

Doncaster state Liberal MP Mary Wooldridge said the Government should commit to community consultation on the “major development”.

“I call on the Brumby Government to postpone the commencement of this development until the Doncaster community has been appropriately consulted and our views taken into account,” Ms Wooldridge said.

The cost of the project has not been revealed, but Mr Tee said further details of the project would be released next month.