By Laura Wakely
BRIMBANK City Council will focus on providing more variety and choice of housing as one of the aims of their new planning guide.
The council released their draft housing strategy ‘Home and Housed’ last week after months of consultation with residents.
The document will help council identify sites for different types of residential development and supports “affordable, adaptable and accessible” housing, while dealing with the expected population growth in Brimbank in the coming years.
Around 950 homes were constructed each year between 2004 and 2008, but this has increased to more than 1439 homes each year between 2009-2011 in Brimbank.
“The Housing Strategy is about responding to this growth and putting in place a plan that will determine where new housing is best located so that the existing character of Brimbank’s suburbs is protected,” the report states.
‘Home and Housed’ also found multi-storey housing is “thinly spread” across the municipality, which is “worrying” as it’s uncertain where new housing can be constructed.
According to the report, most objections to multi-storey development in Brimbank stem from concerns about increased traffic and congestion.
But more multi-storey housing could be on the cards for the Sunshine, St Albans, Deer Park and Sydenham planning districts, where council has identified a need for “more variety and choice”.
Meanwhile, the Keilor district is seen as needing housing that “enables the elderly to continue living at home rather than moving into care”.
Residents can make submissions about ‘Home and Housed’ to the council until December 23.
For more information on Home and Housed contact Brimbank City Council on 9249 4000.
