Housing groups and urban planners have raised concerns about sacrificing living standards and creating new urban slums
“It was like living in a tiny, geometric, sterile shoebox,” says Ben Glasson, a 46-year-old Melbourne academic who moved into a 28-square metreconformed to Victorian building laws
“I think we can live in smaller spaces,” he says, “but it’s really important that there are good amenities available to people living in these spaces. I’m also interested in how we can live with a small carbon footprint.”As governments across Australia urgently seek solutions to the housing crisis, a number of councillors, housing groups and urban planners have raised concerns we might be sacrificing living standards and at risk of creating new urban slums.
After making changes to the original design, which saw the minimum apartment size increase to 24.5 square metres, the development was approved by the Victorian and Administrative Tribunal. “Cysur puts forward an alternative housing choice. There are 16 studios aimed at single occupant households ranging from 24.5 square metres to 46 square metres.
The CEO of Nightingale, Dan McKenna, says co-housing developments help make amenity-rich inner suburbs accessible to those who would otherwise be locked out of the market. “The Marrickville project is 100% affordable rental apartment – so our strategy is to get as many people into homes in it as possible,” he says.Industry Association of Victoria, Sarah Toohey, says restrictions on the minimum size of new and affordable apartments and co-living spaces are long overdue.
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