$130 million to be invested at Woodville West

The Commonwealth and State Government will today announce a $130 million urban renewal project, which will transform the Woodville West area with better housing, new street layouts and more open spaces.

State Housing Minister Jennifer Rankine said the first stage of the project would target an area of about 45 Housing SA houses between Lawton Crescent and Todville Street and Elizabeth Street over the next two years, while the total project will deliver 425 new dwellings over seven years.

“A total of $15m will be spent to help re-locate the tenants in the affected area to nearby new homes so we can start this exciting development,” Ms Rankine said.

“From next year, we will create a new road entrance at the Alma Terrace rail crossing and then redesign street and road layouts, as well as providing new and better public spaces and parks.

Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek said the street redesign is being funded with $9.5 million from the Housing Affordability Fund, while an additional $13 million will come from the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan for new social housing.

“The Rudd Government is providing $22.5 million to help deliver more affordable homes in Woodville West,” Ms Plibersek said.

“The Housing Affordability Fund has been set up to reduce planning and infrastructure costs of building new housing developments across the country, while stimulus funding is protecting jobs during the global economic downturn.

“The Rudd Government is keen to see sensible and sustainable urban renewal projects – like this one in Woodville West – which create mixed communities.

“Brand new social housing will be built in Woodville West as well as new, affordable homes that will be made available to rent or buy in the private market.”

Ms Rankine said this development follows successful projects including Westwood, Hawksbury Park, Kilburn and Mitchell Park that have benefitted more than 3000 people.

“Woodville West will be reinvigorated over seven years to include a better mix of housing and affordable housing opportunities – right on a transport corridor and close to other development,” she said.

Under the project, more than 425 new dwellings will be constructed. Of these, it is proposed 64 will be for social housing, 139 will be for affordable rent or home ownership and 225 will be sold on the private market.

“Not only will there be more housing for South Australians, the houses will also be environmentally friendly with grey water reuse, low energy heating, rainwater collection and solar electricity,” Ms Rankine said.

“State of the art design will mean heating and cooling will be achieved with reduced energy consumption.”

Housing SA will work closely with the City of Charles Sturt Council and the community to incorporate their feedback into many aspects of the development, including the design of parks, the public realm, main street and some specific residential properties.

Ms Rankine said it is intended to recycle as many of the bricks and roof tiles from Woodville West for reuse in the new development as possible.

“The red bricks can be recycled for use in paving, fencing and landscaping in the new main street and the terracotta roof tiles may be re-used for roofing of new dwellings,” she said.

“These materials are rich in character and history and will help to provide the new Woodville West with a character of its own, whilst recycling and minimising the energy required to create all new building materials.”

The Commonwealth is also providing $15 million from the Social Housing National Partnership Agreement to build or buy 40 dwellings in neighbouring suburbs for relocation requirements.