More housing could soon be on its way to Bendigo, with 84 new homes planned for Kennington.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
VincentCare Community Housing, part of St Vincent De Paul Society Victoria, has applied for a permit to build the homes and a community hub, at 250 St Aidan's Road, Kennington.
The project was part of the state government's Big Housing Build and aimed to provide social and affordable housing to vulnerable and disadvantaged Bendigo residents.
"Being an integral part of the Bendigo community, St Vincent de Paul Society ... is well aware of the severe shortage of affordable rental housing in one of Victoria's largest and most important regional centres, with a population of more than 120,000 that is predicted to grow to 155,000 by 2036," the Society said.
"The aim of the new building project in Bendigo is to ease the pressure of the private rental and social housing market and ultimately Victorians impacted by the housing crisis."
The homes would be available for people on the Victorian Housing Register and aimed at people aged 55 years and over, including people who were, or were at risk of becoming homeless and those living in inadequate private rental accommodation.
Mix of townhouses and apartments
The 84 social dwellings would be built on an 18,000 square metres of land owned by the Society at 250 St Aidans Street at Kennington, which has been known as "St Vincent Village".
There would be 64 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom in a mix of townhouses and apartments, with four residential buildings and one "community building", designed by Bendigo firm e+ architects.
One building would be three storeys with 42 one-bedroom apartments, another would have two storeys with 10 one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom apartments.
The third building would have two storeys with four one-bedroom apartments and 12 two-bedroom apartments, and the fourth would have 10 two-bedroom apartments.
The plan also included 84 carparking spots, bicycle storage space for more than 85 bicycles and green spaces.
The project as VincentCare Community Housing's third in Victoria, with two others in Footscray and Epping.
The Big Housing Build was a $5 billion program announced in 2022, which aimed to build 12,000 new houses across Victoria.
At least $85,000,000 of the program would be spent in Bendigo, according to the state government, resulting in 325 social and affordable homes.
St Vincent de Paul Society was awaiting approval from the Department of Transport and Planning and hoped the process would take four months at most.
Jonathon Magrath
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
