Newcastle Council is taking the next set to more affordable housing on a key Hunter Street site.
Councillors last week voted to invite expressions of interest (EOI) from community housing providers to collaborate with Council on the landmark multi-storey, mixed-use housing project at 280 Hunter Street, which will include a ground floor retail and commercial development.
Known as Rail Bridge Row, the 4,000 square meter vacant lot is strategically positioned as a junction between King Street, Hunter Street and the foreshore, and is close to the Crown Street light rail stop.
It marks the end of a chapter for Newcastle who bought the parcel of land four years ago and is the second affordable housing development on the old rail line following the construction of 30 units on Merewether Street in 2020 by Evolve Housing.
Chairperson of City of Newcastle’s Asset Advisory Committee, Cr Declan Clausen, says the project could help ease the affordable housing shortage now and into the future.
“A growing population, cost-of-living crisis and shortage of housing including dwellings affordable to those on lower incomes, is exacerbating the stress being felt in households across Newcastle,” Cr Clausen says.
“The Rail Bridge Row project is the first time Council has utilised its own land to help address the housing crisis. As an elected council, we are pulling every lever available to us to increase the supply of social and affordable housing in our city.
“By partnering with a community housing provider to deliver this project, we are creating a framework that could potentially be replicated across other City of Newcastle sites.”
The EOI will be launched early next year to identify select applicants, who will then be asked to prepare a proposal for the project.
A business case will be presented for Council approval before the preferred community housing provider is engaged.
Image: Google Maps.