Construction on 12 new social houses has finished in the centre of Wagga. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Twelve new social homes built in the heart of Wagga have been completed a month ahead of schedule, according to the NSW Government.
Located at 20 Spring Street, the homes are expected to house 19 residents.
This project appears to have been more successful than the disastrous attempt to build public housing next door at 16 Spring Street, which saw NSW Government department Homes NSW choose an insolvent builder who later went into liquidation, leaving several local tradies unpaid for their work.
Homes NSW has continued to refuse to pay these tradespersons directly.
The new houses will allow for the first stages of the Tolland Renewal Project to begin, which will focus on bringing the first new social homes to the suburb in decades.
Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr said the new houses were welcome, but more work was needed to address the housing shortage in Wagga.
“The delivery of these new social properties is great news for our community, providing modern, accessible homes at a time when demand continues to grow for quality housing,” he said.
“More needs to be done, but the early completion of these properties is a significant step forward in providing homes to people in need, and I congratulate the government for delivering these properties ahead of schedule.”
Dr McGirr said the new homes would allow the Tolland Renewal Project to finally begin, as residents in affected homes could now be relocated.
“The best way to ease the housing crisis is, of course, to build more homes,” he said.
“It’s exciting to look forward to subdivision works starting on the next major stage of the Tolland Renewal Project, with the delivery of hundreds of brand-new homes to have a significant, positive impact on meeting the demand for housing in Wagga.”
Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said the delivery of the houses came several weeks ahead of schedule and was a major step in the Tolland Renewal Project.
“These new homes at Spring Street have been delivered four weeks early, something almost unheard of in housing construction, and in the middle of a housing crisis, every week matters,” she said.
“This completion means more people in Wagga Wagga can move into safe, modern housing sooner.”
Ms Jackson said the development in Spring Street would help Tolland residents to relocate while the old homes were being demolished and the new homes were being built. Construction of the first homes is expected to begin in the coming months.
“This development significantly increases the supply of social housing on the site, replacing ageing properties with high-quality homes that are energy efficient, accessible and well located,” she said.
“Spring Street is also an important part of the long-term Tolland Renewal. By delivering new homes now, we can support tenant relocations and continue progressing the staged redevelopment of the estate.
“We are committed to delivering more homes in regional NSW and ensuring communities like Wagga Wagga have access to safe, secure housing for the future.”
