Progress has been made with the announcement on 6 December 2022 of the agreement signed by the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC), Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and the Argyle Consortium (Argyle Housing, BlueCHP and Birribee Housing) for the delivery of 16 per cent increase in new social housing within the Tolland and Duke of Kent Park precincts. In total almost 500 new mix-tenure homes will be delivered, of which around 180 will be new social housing.
Argyle Housing, BlueCHP and Birribee Housing form the Argyle Consortium who will manage tenancies for Tolland Estate’s existing and future social housing under a 20-year lease. The Consortium will also develop and deliver 70 new social homes in the Tolland Estate, assist with tenancy relocations and connect them with local wrap-around services.
This project is a big Step Forward to increasing supply of much needed affordable and social housing in the area and we at Argyle Housing look forward to working with the Consortium, government, LAHC, Aboriginal Housing Office, local services, current residents in the Tolland Estate and community to deliver an increased supply of more quality affordable and social housing for Wagga, creating more homes for those in need.
Read the Full Media Release Here
Argyle Housing has finalised designs for the two-storey houses, which are being built to help provide low to middle income housing in Griffith.
Last year, Griffith City Council gifted land on the corner of Wakaden Street and Crossing Street to Argyle Housing, as part of a strategy aimed at easing the current housing availability crisis.
The houses will be targeted towards families who earn too much to be eligible for social housing, but not enough to easily afford the market rental price.
Development Consent was received, and two rounds of tendering occurred on this project during the year. Unfortunately, both rounds of tendering were unable to deliver a construction cost that was below the completed valuation of the project. Currently an aggregated procurement is being pursued along with the proposed Community Hub as part of the Griffin Green project.
Argyle Housing and Council have made considerable progress on this project with Argyle Housing preparing and lodging a Development Application for the construction of the 20 townhouses in early 2021. Community Consultation and Detailed Design and documentation were either complete or well advanced at the end of June.
Argyle Housing continued to pursue the original demolition contractor to complete their remediation of the site without full success. LAHC have advised they believe Argyle Housing have undertaken all steps and processes with diligence and care and do not hold Argyle Housing liable for any further works. Argyle Housing is currently investigating and pursuing options to complete a development of the site. Download Plan Here
During the year Argyle Housing prepared concept design to construct 4 villa/townhouses on the site, partnered with a local NFP Margaret House to progress a partnership on the project where they could acquire one of the villas and provide DV Crisis accommodation for males. A Small-Scale Direct Dealing proposal (Argyle Housing’s first) was prepared and submitted to LAHC for consideration. The outcome of this proposal is not yet known.
In February Argyle Housing submitted a response to an EOI from Temora Council to partner with them to deliver affordable housing on land they owned in Apollo Place in Temora. Argyle Housing were the successful respondent to the EOI. Temora Shire Council is partnering with Argyle Housing with the intention to develop a new housing estate in Apollo Place, Temora.
The proposed partnership aims to provide affordable and accessible housing options for seniors and elderly residents looking to downsize and age in place, people with accessibility and mobility issues, and lower income earners looking to get into the housing market.
Argyle Housing have prepared Concept Designs for the site, undertaken a visit to some of Argyle Housing’s properties in Wagga with Councillors and Senior Staff and prepared preliminary costings and modelling for the development. Work is currently ongoing to pursue partnering opportunities between Council/Argyle Housing, Inland Rail and the Sydney Flight School to investigate options to provide short-term accommodation that may subsidise the delivery of affordable housing on the site.
