The state government has unveiled plans to use part of the former rail corridor in Newcastle for public use, and specifically for affordable housing.
Minister for Planning and Housing Anthony Roberts was joined by Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance in Newcastle this morning to make the announcement.
NSW Government program Revitalising Newcastle put forward the plan which would see 30 homes built between Mereweather Street and the former Civic Station, for low to middle income earners.
The proposal allows for one, two and three-bedroom family affordable homes for moderate income workers from emergency services, to youth workers.
Anthony Roberts says it gives hard workers a go and gives those, "on low to moderate incomes a leg up and helps them to work towards their housing goals, be it home ownership or ongoing private rental".
The concept was put to the council's Building Better Cities (BBC) Committee to use $3 million dollars allocated by the government some time ago and put it towards something extremely beneficial.At this stage, the housing proposal project will be funded through pooling of government resources by combining Hunter Development Corporation and the Newcastle City Council's affordable housing funding, which is waiting on approval from council, which should be decided at the next general meeting.
"Newcastle isn't going to be the place it was 10 years ago. Newcastle is moving towards a new and vibrant city. A city with professionals, trades people, and different types of individuals," said Anthony Roberts.
"We're already seeing the reformation of Newcastle, we're already seeing it rake great bold new steps from where it was a decade ago and there's a lot more to do."
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot Macdonald also joined the ministers for the announcement this morning, and is in full support of the plan which he believes will create more diversity within the city centre.
He says, "from my perspective it's delivering on what Minister Stokes said we were going to do last year (when the rail corridor was closed), that it was gonig to be a mix of private, public and green space and this very much delivers".
