Wauchope's public housing project complete; 12 units ready to occupy

The Hastings Street apartments, which were proposed in 2019 as part of the State Government's Future Directions of Social Housing in NSW program, will soon be housing tenants.

Community Housing Limited (CHL) will manage the site.

The project includes eight one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units with two car parking spaces on-site and six car parks based off-site.

The completion of the apartments couldn't come soon enough, according to CHL.

Regional housing service coordinator Sharyn Robins said there is extremely high demand for housing on the Mid North Coast.

"The pressure has increased quite significantly over the last 6 -12 months," she said.

"We are just constantly being bombarded with people needing housing and our wait list is growing quite rapidly."

Figures released by the Department of Community and Justice show demand for housing grew by 15 per cent across the Mid North Coast over the past year.

It's a problem that Member for Oxley and former Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey, spoke about at the announcement.

"We really pump some money into the regions for housing - [but] it's never enough," she said.

"It's like a hose in the Pacific Ocean.

"It's very hard to fill, but we are making some inroads up and down the region."

Mrs Pavey said that she hopes older residents may upscale from their homes with spare bedrooms and into the apartments.

"Whilst it can be an emotional wrench, [it means] we've got other properties that we can put families in with lots of children," she said.

Mrs Pavey said she was pleased that the massive investment the NSW government has put into housing through the regions is coming to bear.

"I look forward to.. making sure that we actually utilise our government land," she said.

"Whether it's crown land or land that agencies have that is no longer being utlised, [it can be used for] to future, for better housing for the region."

The land where the apartments are located was previously used for the Wauchope Motor Vehicle registry, which closed in November 2018.

"There was a little bit of controversy closing down the registry office," CHL asset officer Peter Artuso said.

"But it was very, very crucial that to house people, they need to be close to services like shopping centres, schools, [and] other resources where they can get public transport if required.

"It was just critical that it be in the heart of Wauchope and be part of the community."

Located on the corner of Hastings and Young streets the apartments are across the road from the Wauchope IGA and within walking distance from chemists, coffee shops and other resources.

The apartments are also next to the Wauchope RSL Club.

"The RSL was a big discussion at the time especially with [concern for] people with gambling habits," Mr Artuso said.

"We had several discussions with a lot of stakeholders around the community and overall we found this location was the best for everybody."

Of the four two-bedroom apartments, two are wheelchair accessible and come with their own car parking spaces.

NSW Land and Housing Corporation senior development manager Steven Quick, said that all projects try to have an adaptable disabled unit or two, if possible.

"In this case we could get two adaptable units to meet the housing... standards," he said.

"The kitchen can be adapted to suit, dependent on needs and [the units are] wheelchair accessible to bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen."

The cavity brick and brick veneer apartments also come with a solar heating and water system and have been designed to require low maintenance.

Mr Artuso said complexes like this are critical to the community.

"It just lifts up everybody when you can get a group of people that are happy to be housed, and not out on the street... [living] with relatives or in difficult circumstances."

CHL is in the process of allocating tenants to the apartments.

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