This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
AN expressions of interest process has been opened by the WA government calling for innovative development proposals for nine state-owned housing lots.
The process has been opened to kickstart the McGowan government’s landmark Housing Diversity Pipeline and comes after a successful registration of interest process earlier in 2022.
“The Housing Diversity Pipeline is part of our Government’s reforms, in which we are investing $2.4 billion over the next four years on social housing and homelessness measures, including the delivery of 3,300 new social homes,” said John Carey, minister for housing and lands.
“Proposals are sought from the private sector and community housing providers to deliver innovative residential developments to provide more social dwellings for the most vulnerable members of our community.”
The nine state government-owned landholdings are entering the market to generate proposals that will see more social housing delivered to the state, while creating greater housing options for Western Australians.
“Our government is doing all it can to boost social housing across the State and breaking away from traditional approaches to housing development so that we can deliver better housing outcomes for Western Australians,” said Carey.
The properties include one 2,000sqm South-West development site in the Busselton city centre and eight large sites in metropolitan Perth.
Of the available metropolitan sites, the most significant spans over 24,000sqm, one of two landholdings located in Kelmscott and sitting within close proximity of the local train station.
While sites available in East Perth and Redcliffe both come in at just over 13,000sqm a pop and also offer close range from existing and new train stations.
Meanwhile, the remaining four sites are located in East Fremantle, Cannington, South Perth and Thomas Street in West Perth.
“There is a long-term need for more housing diversity in Western Australia, and the release of these nine sites through an Expression of Interest process will help to drive development of diverse, mixed-tenure residential housing,” said Rita Saffioti, minister for planning.
Successful proposals will comprise plans for residential developments on one or more of the available landholdings and will optimise use of the land, include at least 20% social housing dwellings, sustainable and accessible housing and form part of the creation of liveable, inclusive and connected communities.
“Proponents should detail specific solutions for delivering housing on these nine sites that will meet our requirement for a minimum of 20 per cent social housing across the total development,” added Carey.
Projects may be delivered through respondents preferred method including long-term ground leases, partnership models, and design and construct models for either build-to-rent or build-to-sell housing
“By encouraging alternate delivery models, new housing construction methods and financial incentives, the McGowan Government is stimulating investment from the private sector to create a pipeline of diverse housing choice for years to come,” said Carey.
The expressions of interest process is scheduled to close on 25 October 2022.
“The Housing Diversity Pipeline will create a long-term pipeline of new developments that will not only ensure we meet the future housing demands of our growing population, but also ensure jobs for the construction industry when the current development boom eases,” concluded Saffioti.
