There has been a lot of discussion about the lack of accommodation and in particular affordable housing in the Illawarra. The general answer has been to supply more. The solution is complex but to show an example of the impact I use the Corrimal Coke Works proposal. Council reduced the number of residential units by about 200 on the concerns of traffic congestion in Railway St. But what does the loss of 200 units mean.
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Loss of residential stock. As the site is close to public transport and to the local shopping area, in line with other similar developments I expected a high percentage of residents would be retirees generally downsizing from the local area. The number could be as high as 60 per cent. That represents about 120 current properties in the local area, generally having a yard and multiple bedrooms which would not now come onto the market. That is a reduction in available housing stock to young families.
The loss of 200 units will require the base cost to be increased for the remaining units. I expected the base cost will increase by about 20 per cent.
This I estimate to be about $30,000 per unit; thus reducing the affordability. If the developer had been able to build the full allotment then there is a strong possibility, of the 200 units removed, at least 50 would be available as "affordable housing".
Options -If WCC Council is serious about "affordable housing" stock, then they should revisit the decision to reduce the number of units permitted and invite the developer to resubmit the original proposal. The traffic issues should be handled separately with TfNSW.
Ian Young, Towradgi
What have the insurers done for climate change?
There has been no advice that I know of from insurance companies to government in Australia over the last 10 years about climate change. All that's happened is premiums rising then a decision not to insure where there is a risk from climate disasters.
Most people have been waiting for insurance assessments to get claims for storm damage to be done.
Good luck if you can get any help.
To hear that the government is now going to underwrite insurance companies for the climate disasters in northern NSW means that the taxpayer is going to subsidise an industry that did nothing about climate change. It's a form of nationalisation.
Poor decision making once again taking money from the citizens of Australia.
Tom Wren, Mangerton
A joyful tune
As I was taking my five-year old grand-daughter to school this morning she was singing a little song: "It's going to be easier with Albanese".
David Curtis, Fairy Meadow
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