TWO vacant properties owned by Kingston Council could be redeveloped into social housing. Kingston Council is exploring a partnership with Launch Housing to develop 6 Lochiel Avenue in Edithvale and 33 Balcombe Road in Mentone. The two properties are proposed to be leased out to Launch Housing for 30 years.
The motion to repurpose the two properties was agreed to by Kingston councillors late last month. It identified women over the age of 50 and single parents with children as potential priority tenants. The two properties are walking distance away from Edithvale and Mentone train stations respectively. They formerly housed the Lochiel Child Care Centre and the Australian Turkish Association.
Community consultation would still need to take place before the project progresses. In a statement, Kingston Council said the proposal would “build upon council’s commitment through the 2020 Kingston Social and Affordable Housing Strategy which addresses increasing levels of housing stress in the community. Left unchecked, increasing levels of housing stress in the community will lead to a reduction in well-being in the community, increase disadvantage and create inefficient labour markets.”
“The current proposal is for new homes to be constructed across the two sites, with Launch to take control of the sites under 30-year leases, however the plans will be subject to further detailed scrutiny and approval processes,” the council statement read. “The need for housing assistance in Kingston was previously estimated as a shortfall of 4690 dwellings to alleviate homeless and housing stress for existing residents. This figure has likely grown given the costs of new housing construction and large increases in the cost of renting properties that has occurred over recent years.” The council vote was taken behind closed doors and made public in the minutes of the meeting.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 10th April 2024