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BRIMBANK • HOBSONS BAY • HUME • MARIBYRNONG • MELTON • MERRI-BEK • MOONEE VALLEY • MOORABOOL • WYNDHAM Local and Independent. Not associated with any other publication in this area.
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STATE GOVT FALLS SHORT: MERRI-BEK
■ Merri-bek City Council says the State Government’s commitment to boosting investment in housing supply and affordability fall short on making significant inroads to fixing the housing crisis. “With 60 per cent of public housing in the state more than 40 years old, the need to upgrade ageing infrastructure to provide comfortable, economic and energy efficient homes is well overdue and warmly welcomed,” said a Merri-bek Council statement. “However, with the urban renewal project across Melbourne’s 44 high-rise social housing towers promising only a 10 per cent uplift in Public and Social housing supply, the commitment falls far short on addressing a growing and crippling demand.” Merri-bek Mayor Cr Angelica Panopoulos said: “Although welcomed, the commitment of a 10 per cent Social Housing uplift through the replacement of high-rise towers in Melbourne is not adequate to service the current demand. Fundamentally, this fails to address crippling shortages throughout the state.” “Although we welcomed the State Government’s investment in Social and Affordable Housing via the Big Housing Build, we believe that much more Public and Social housing should be delivered through redevelopment than what is being promised in the Housing Statement. “A 30 per cent increase in Public and Social housing dwellings in the redevelopment of Harvest Square (previously Gronn Place) has been seen in Brunswick West alone and we would implore such increases to be matched and exceeded in future commitments.” Merri-bek Council is also concerned about the impact such redevelopments will have on residents. “Relocation of Public Housing residents (or any residents for that matter) due to redevelopment can have long-term negative impacts on local communities” said Cr Panopoulos.
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● Premier Daniel Andrews “We need assurances that our older residents living at the tower at 351 Barkly St, Brunswick will not be displaced from friends and neighbours in this upgrade process. “We strongly encourage the State Government to continue to also explore lower impact renovations and retrofits where possible and ensure residents are engaged in genuine co-design processes at an early stage.” Merri-bek Council also supported the move to apply a state-wide levy of 7.5 per cent to short-stay accommodation as part of the Statement, with revenue raised funnelled straight to investment in Social and affordable housing via Homes Victoria. But Cr Panopoulos said a cap on the number of nights that a property could be used as for short-stay accommodation should have been another lever to transform more houses into longer-term rental homes. “We welcome reforms that will make housing more affordable. “But we want to see the State Government working together with councils to realise housing projects that will really make a big difference to our communities—such as delivering Public and affordable housing on existing Council landholdings in Central Coburg,” Cr Panopoulos said.
$10.8m for Riverside ■ Moonee Valley City Council is entering into an agreement which will see significant capital investment in the Riverside Sport and Recreation Precinct. The public-private partnership with BlueFit, a leisure facility management company, will see a $10.8m capital investment in the Riverside Golf and Sports Centre, resolving long standing infrastructure issues and realising a major activation of the precinct. The golf driving range sits alongside the netball and tennis courts. The current proximity creates a risk to users of overhitting from the golf driving range means that operations have to be scheduled, with patrons being unable to use the
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● Cr Pierce Tyson facilities at the same time. Mayor Cr Pierce Tyson said the partnership created a unique opportunity for private investment, which ultimately would improve the facilities and resolve the operational issues that restrict usage.
“This is an innovative approach to ensuring the community can access these important facilities without Council investing the significant capital this type of upgrade would require,” said Cr Tyson. “The partnership is underpinned by a 20-year management contract, which enables Council to oversee operations and ensure the community’s needs are met. “The concept plans propose a modern, upgraded golf driving range, playgrounds and active spaces, an upgraded mini golf course, improved access and pathways and facilities to encourage both seasoned and beginner golfers, as well as hospitality opportunities,” said Cr Tyson.
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