West Goulburn social housing project meets mixed response

Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman said this week that work would begin this month on the $6.34 million project on the corner of Combermere and Rhoda Streets.

Three existing social houses at 121 to 125 Combermere Street and a duplex at 10 Rhoda Street, will be demolished to make way for the blocks, accommodating 14 units for up to 17 people. It will include six one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom units set across several two-storey blocks and two single-storey residences.

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The number of units has decreased from 16 to 14 in response to community and council feedback.

Mrs Tuckerman lauded it as a "perfect example of maximising government land for community benefit" and a project which would create 32 jobs during construction.

The NSW Land and Housing Corporation announced the plan late last year. Neighbours were up in arms about the proposal, saying the height and density in a predominantly single-dwelling area was inappropriate.

Parking, safety, environmental and amenity impacts and alleged loss of property value were also key concerns. Residents lodged a petition in response.

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The NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) previously said it had received 25 public submissions. But on Thursday, a spokesman said six were received within the statutory timeframe.

Several neighbouring residents, who did not wish to be named, said they were still unhappy about the density and access points.

In February, 2021 former Mayor Bob Kirk said the council would prefer to have more say in the social housing designs from the outset. As it was, the organisation was only informed once they were announced.

The project, set across a 3484 square metre block, was approved in October, 2021, a NSW LAHC spokesman said.

The State Environmental Planning Policy for social housing overrode council's planning laws, environment and planning director Scott Martin confirmed.

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Nevertheless the council lodged a submission expressing its concerns about the proposed bulk, scale and density. Mr Martin's department was notified last week that the design was reviewed and refined in response to issues raised.

"The positive thing is that it demonstrates the State's willingness to invest in social housing and renew its current stock in Goulburn," he said.

"The work will add to to that underway in Hume and Albert Streets and that's positive for the community."

Mr Martin believed the amended design did strike an acceptable compromise, although it wasn't all single dwellings.

The LAHC spokesman said the final design incorporated single-storey units next to existing residences in response to the council comments.

"Council's local controls were used to inform context and character, with a merit assessment completed against the Local Environment Plan and relevant Development Control Plan, showing that the project was generally consistent," a spokesman said.

"In their submission, (the) council raised detailed engineering and waste point requirements, which were generally incorporated into the design."

The Department pledged to employ local tradespeople and suppliers during construction.

Residents were moved into other social housing in Goulburn last year. A neighbour said some didn't want to go as their children were settled into nearby West Goulburn School. She lamented that children would have 'little space' to play within the new complex.

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"We're committed to ensuring any tenant relocations happen sensitively and all have since been housed nearby in properties appropriate to their needs," the LAHC spokesman said.

Mr Martin told The Post that the council's Social Sustainability Plan identified the need for more social housing in Goulburn.

The LAHC spokesperson said "urgent action" was needed to deliver more social accommodation in the city. The Rhoda Street project was one of five initiatives to deliver 44 new homes by 2023.

The west Goulburn development is due to be completed by mid-2023.

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