Rudd Government delivers savings for 250 homebuyers in Port Adelaide
Tanya Plibersek and Member for Port Adelaide Mark Butler today announced that a local infrastructure proposal by the City of Charles Sturt will be offered $2.5 million in Australian Government funding to bring down the cost of new homes in Woodville.
Ms Plibersek said the funding was offered under the Housing Affordability Fund (HAF), a $512 million Australian Government program to reduce planning and infrastructure costs in new housing developments.
“I am pleased to announce the City of Charles Sturt has been offered $2.5 million to develop approximately 250 dwellings and residential lots as part of Stage One of their St Clair project at the Sheridan industrial estate in Woodville,” Ms Plibersek said on site at the new development.
“The funding offered will help construct critical public infrastructure, including open space development, storm water management, third pipe reticulation and sewer and electricity expansion
“It will also enable planning reforms to speed up the development approval process for this project.
“The Rudd Government’s Housing Affordability Fund will reduce the cost of building new homes by contributing to this infrastructure and is a great outcome for people in Port Adelaide who are struggling to save enough to buy their own home.”
Mr Butler said 250 homebuyers are set to benefit from this announcement – not just people purchasing their first home.
“As a direct result of the Housing Affordability Fund, homebuyers will save around $8,000 on a standard family home while up to 15 per cent of the lots have been set aside for affordable housing,” Mr Butler said.
“Families renting houses in Port Adelaide who have owned a house in the past and want to get back into the market are also able to purchase one of the 250 residential lots.”
Nationally, the first round of the Housing Affordability Fund is expected to deliver cost savings to up to 14,000 new homes, through the construction of a variety of infrastructure including water pipes, sewerage systems and community facilities.
Many more will benefit via reforms to the planning and development approval processes in local government areas, secured as a condition of funding.
“Housing and construction is a major employer in the Australian economy,” Ms Plibersek said.
“That’s why housing has featured so strongly in the Rudd Government’s Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan – firstly through the First Home Owners Boost and then by building 20,000 new social housing dwellings.
“This investment in social housing will stimulate the building and construction industry and has been estimated by Treasury to support 15,000 jobs nationally over the next two years.”