Victoria Okays 300-Plus Affordable Homes

More than 300 social and affordable homes have been greenlit by the Victorian Government in key growth areas. 

Heidelberg West is one of those suburbs where the first stage of the Bell-Bardia project has been approved paving the way for 104 social and affordable homes to be built.

The project will be delivered by Homes Victoria and has been funded jointly by the Victorian Government’s Big Housing Build and the Federal Government’s Social Housing Accelerator Program.

Homes within the Bell Bardia project have been designed to be energy efficient and will be near schools, public transport, services, shopping centres and the Austin Hospital.

The Federal and Victorian Governments have invested $27.5 million into the Bell Bardia project to replace ageing homes.

Bell Bardia is expected to be completed in 2027.

Developer Pace’s project at 251-265 Lygon Street and 1A Pitt Street in Brunswick East was also approved through the Victorian Government’s planning fast-track option, the Development Facilitation Program, with 109 homes, 25 per cent of which will be set aside for affordable housing.

Another seven-storey project at Brunswick on Wilkinson Street has also been approved providing 39 new homes with 85 per cent of the project catering to social and affordable homes. 

The Victorian Government’s Big Housing Build and Regional Housing Fund total $6.3 billion and aims to deliver 13,300 homes across Victoria. 

More than 10,100 homes have already been completed or are under construction. 

Regional centres such as Ballarat Central have also had investment with 24 new social homes in a four-storey project at 119 Albert Street approved.

Another 62 social homes have also been approved at McDowall Street, Mitcham, close to the Mitcham Shopping Centre, schools and the Mitcham Railway Station.