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Housing Department plans redevelopment

 

The Department of Housing is planning to remove five recently-renovated homes in Nambucca Dr and Grafton Av, Woy Woy, and replace each of them with two-bedroom duplexes.

Occupants of the houses have told Peninsula News that they do not wish to move and the majority of them have indicated that they would like the option of purchasing their homes from the department.

One resident was already negotiating the purchase when he received notification of the plan to remove the house for the new development.

A spokesman for the Department of Housing, Mr David Maher, said that past development practices were being reviewed and houses built in the 1940s and 1950s might not be up to contemporary standards as set by the Government.

"For example, where there might be six houses, you can build 18 to 20 pensioner-style units, which are much more up to modern standards.

"This also gets rid of older housing stock which costs a lot of money to keep and in turn allows us to offer more accommodation.

"The residents have an option of moving back in once the development is complete, providing they are appropriate for that type of housing," Mr Maher said.

The Department of Housing provided support for clients whose premises were to be removed or replaced, he said.

They were given notice and the Department paid their removal costs.

They were given a choice of replacement housing to minimise inconvenience, he said.

Jonathan Reichard, April 16