Social housing sites not 'surplus' land, they say

SOCIAL housing is desperately needed in the Bass Coast area. Michael Whitfield is the first to admit it.

But he’s alarmed at the piecemeal approach to such a critical issue, specifically the plan to locate social housing on small pieces of “unused or surplus” road reserves in the shire when it’s a much bigger problem than that.

“They told us that there’s 700 or more families on the social housing waiting list. I don’t know if that’s just Phillip Island or the whole of Bass Coast, but it’s a serious issue, for sure.

“People have to have somewhere to live.

“They told us that while it’s only a small area here (between Wyndham Avenue and Roydon Street), about 1500m2 I think, they reckon it’s a start.

“I just don’t think they are looking at the bigger picture.”

Mr Whitfield said the shire and Community Housing Limited had been considering the Cowes’ site since October last year and had visited it shortly before Christmas.

“I approached them while they were here, they didn't come to me, and asked what they were doing, and they promised to contact me for a face-to-face meeting to hear my opinions but there’s been nothing.

“We’ve got about 30 people living near here, and we’re all against it.

“My kids are never in the house, they’re always out there playing. They said they were going to put in a playground but that never happened.

“Cr Ron Bauer knows all about it and he’s helping us. It’s just completely the wrong place for it.

"Wonthaggi's where it should be. They've got the big hospital, Centrelink and all the services."

The issue was back on the council agenda last Wednesday, as a result of a letter from a local resident at Cowes, querying proper consultation.

“What is the council doing to ensure a fair, timely and open consultation process regarding the proposed social housing in the reserve between Roydon Street and Wyndham Avenue, specifically the consultation with the people who live beside or close to the proposed development site before it is approved?

“How has the council addressed the issue of consulting with residents living near the same proposed social housing development site in Cowes who have medical conditions which may cause them to move away from the area?"

Shire CEO Ali Wastie responded:

“At the November 2021 council meeting, Council identified and resolved to make available a number of unused road reserves. Since then, Community Housing Limited have undertaken an assessment of the sites and they are looking to progress the following two sites: Ivor Street, Henry Street East, and Henry Street West, Wonthaggi North and a second at Wyndhan Avenue and Roydon Street Cowes.

“The next step is for Community Housing Ltd to develop their proposals for submission to the funding stream. Council will ensure that if Community Housing Limited is successful, that they undertake consultation and engagement with council and the local community before submitting their proposal to the Minister of Energy Environment and Climate Change for approval.”

But Mr Whitfield, who lives next door to the Wyndham/Roydon site, says the reserve is definitely not “surplus” to the community’s needs.

“I haven’t put a fence up there because we use it all the time. Other people use it, the birds and wildlife use it, and there’s all those mature trees.”

Originally at the November 2021 council meeting, the Council gave “in principle agreement” to make the six road reserves, totaling 11,480m2, available for the development of social housing. Now that’s been whittled down to just 3900m2.

They included the following sites initially:

• North Wonthaggi (2400m2) Ivor Street, Henry Street East, and Henry Street West
• North Wonthaggi (1400 88m2) Kirrak and Turner Streets
• Wonthaggi (2100m2) Wishart Street, Back Lane Hagelthorn Street, and Back Lane Broome Crescent
• Wonthaggi (980m2) Reed Crescent and Back Lane Merrin Crescent
• Cowes (3100m2) Seascape Avenue, Raywood Avenue, Highland Avenue, and Anderson Road
• Cowes (1500m2) Wyndham Avenue and Roydon Street.

Now there's just two; Wyndham Avenue and Roydon Street, Cowes and Ivor Street, Henry Street East, and Henry Street West, Wonthaggi.