Contract signed to deliver diverse Northern Grampians housing

Published on 27 August 2021

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Council has signed a contract this week with property developer Passive Place Pty Ltd (PassivePlace), to embark upon a staged housing development that will deliver diverse types of housing including affordable and social housing.

The development will take place over the next seven years at the allotment on the corner of Sloane Street and Cahill Road in Stawell.

Councillors resolved to sell the land to PassivePlace for nominal consideration at the Council Meeting held on 2 August 2021.

Known as ‘the Sloane Street Development’ PassivePlace is proposing to deliver affordable housing such as specialist disability accommodation, retirement living, and long-term rental accommodation for the community. The housing will be built to 6.5-star energy standards.

Then Mayor Cr Murray Emerson said, “As a Council we have been working for some years to encourage much needed housing development in our shire. A lot of work has happened behind the scenes; we rezoned the land in 2013 to help realise this vision.

“This is a landmark for housing developments in regional Victoria. Council’s decision to sell this land will ultimately deliver a project that consolidates ideals identified in our council’s vision and economic and development strategies. We are putting our community’s needs at the forefront and providing accommodation for socially and economically disadvantaged residents that is socially conscious, sustainably modelled and environmentally considerate.”

The Victorian Government has contributed $500,000 from its Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund to Council to prepare the land for development.

The Minister for Regional Development, the Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas MP said the Sloane Street Development will help deliver affordable and diverse housing options in regional Victoria.

“We understand housing is a real issue for many regional and rural communities - that’s why we are investing in initiatives like this one, alongside the Regional Workforce Pilots - working with local government and businesses, to boost employment across the state.”

Expected to commence in 2022, Managing Director of PassivePlace, Mr Nicholas Lane, commented:

“We hope this project will become an exemplar for other regional communities around Australia and change the way we think about how we plan, build, and live in the future. This project illustrates a flexible housing delivery model that identifies a community’s unique housing and accommodation need and seeks to fulfil that need.”

Further information is available on our website at www.ngshire.vic.gov.au/SloaneSt or by contacting customer service on 03 5358 8700.