Advance Housing aims to unlock potential of vacant central Albany block with community housing project

Advance Housing Ltd has revealed plans for a housing project set to cost more than $10 million in central Albany that it says will create 25 new dwellings and refresh existing commercial space. The plan includes building 10 three-by-two townhouses on Frederick Street, which will be available for sale to enhance the project’s economic outcomes for the not-for-profit organisation. AHL is committed to ensuring its developments have a mix of occupancy types to best reflect the community fabric overall. Another nine dwellings, built on vacant land between Frederick Street and Stirling Terrance, will be operated as affordable housing by Advance Housing as well as six rentals in a rebuilt Norman House development. AHL board chairman Peter Adams said the development of new housing solutions for Albany’s rapidly expanding population was essential. “Growth is expected to reach 20 per cent in the next decade, and this means the demand for more affordable housing will be unrelenting,” he said. “There are almost 600 disadvantaged families in the region in need of a home right now, and over 450 are here in Albany. “This represents growth in demand of 42 per cent in just two years. Our challenge increases by the day, and we are determined to meet it in every way open to us.” AHL already operates two student housing facilities in Albany, as well as managing 370 community housing dwellings throughout the Great Southern. Over the past 12 years, it has built 81 affordable homes at a value of more than $32 million. AHL will develop the project through its own funding sources. Plans to demolish Norman House and replace it with new accommodation in a similar style to the original structure will require council approval. To develop its student accommodation that opened in 2018, AHL purchased the Stirling Terrace lot, which includes Norman House and the building known as Cheyne’s Stables. In recent months, it acquired the large vacant block on Frederick Street, which also includes buildings on the corner of Spencer Street, after more than a year developing potential plans for the site. Albany councillors were briefed by AHL chief executive John Lysaught and Albany heritage architect Julie De Jong about the project last week. Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said the project’s concept and design was well received by councillors. “I think the design looked terrific quite frankly and it would be a big improvement for that block of land which has been undeveloped for quite some time,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it coming before council. “We’ll wait for a report from the planning department to hear their perspective of it, but the design looked pretty good and the overall concept looked terrific.” Mr Lysaught said the meeting was “broadly positive” and that he expected a development application to be submitted “in the new year.” He said the design of the project aimed to “set a new standard in energy efficiency” because cost-of-living pressures already caused problems for many of the organisation’s tenants. “We have recognised the heritage value of Spencer Street and Stirling Terrace and our designs for this development will add value and depth to a precinct which is already an important part of the history and heritage of Albany,” he said. “This development will be a mixture of affordable homes for our tenants and private homes for sale to the public. “Albany desperately needs more homes; this is just one of our exciting new projects which will help address the chronic housing shortage and reduce our ever-growing wait list.” If granted approval, the project is expected to be completed in stages. AHL has plans for continued engagement with the community as the project progresses.