Green Light for Carnegie Social Housing Project

The Victorian government has won approval for its next social housing project in Carnegie. 

The 1640sq m site at 8 Egan Street has an estimated $30 million project value.

“We’ve invested almost $37 million in this project, delivering much needed affordable housing while creating local jobs throughout construction,” a state government spokesperson said.

The Bruce Henderson Architects-designed project is part of the Victorian government’s Big Housing Build scheme to create more affordable housing.

“Our landmark $5.3-billion Big Housing Build is changing lives, putting a roof over the head of people in need and creating jobs, supporting our state’s economic recovery,” the state government spokesperson said. 

According to BCI data, the site will have 106 apartments across 11 levels with 351sq m of office space and 63 basement parking spaces. Approved plans include a 10-storey development for social housing. 

Situated just metres away from the Carnegie Train Station, Princes Highway and the busy Koornang Road strip, the building will have 47 two-bedroom units and 55 one-bedroom units. 

Developer Goal Property Group confirmed that construction will start in the third quarter of 2022. 

Victoria’s Big Housing Build project aims to deliver more than 12,000 homes and create 10,000 jobs on average per year over the next four years.

ABS data from the 2016 census shows that more than 24,000 Victorians were homeless, a number that may have increased with the pandemic. ABS will release the data from the 2021 census before the end of this year.

The Council for Homeless Persons said that 80 per cent of homeless Victorians were women and children fleeing domestic violence and people aged under 25.

While social housing projects under the Big Housing Build will continue, developers recently pushed back against a levy to fund more social housing construction, before the state government took it off the table.