Affordable Housing Strategy at West Culburra formally adopted

The independently-prepared Affordable Housing Strategy for Sealark’s new development at West Culburra has been formally adopted by the company, guaranteeing the delivery of a minimum of 40 affordable dwellings in the community and committing Sealark to a range of initiatives to make a meaningful contribution to the affordable housing shortage in the region.

Under the strategy, affordable housing will represent at least 10% of the new homes at West Culburra, with these homes to be built and managed by a tier-1 Community Housing Provider (CHP) on land gifted free of charge by Sealark.

Other key features of the Affordable Housing Strategy include:

• a legal mechanism to ensure the sites to be gifted by Sealark will remain affordable housing in perpetuity;
• that they will be diverse in design including studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom dwellings, based on the identified need;
• a potential “right of first refusal” for the purchase of additional lots for affordable housing by a CHP; and
• that those who will live in the homes be determined by the CHP and will likely include very low, low and moderate income renters, low income key workers and those with a connection to the locality.

Commissioned by Sealark and prepared by social planning and social research assessment consultants Judith Stubbs & Associates, the strategy aims “to make a positive contribution to meeting the identified need for affordable housing in the locality of Culburra Beach and surrounds”.

Matt Philpott, Sealark Managing Director – Land & Development, says the formal adoption of the Affordable Housing Strategy represents an important milestone in the community’s creation.

“Throughout the design and planning process at West Culburra, Sealark has consistently reinforced its intention to make at least 10% of the new homes affordable dwellings in recognition of the need for greater housing choice for those in the Shoalhaven region struggling with cost-of-living pressures,” Mr Philpott says.

“The formal adoption of this strategy sets this commitment in stone and we look forward to working with the key stakeholders through the delivery phase, ensuring we build a community for everyone right from the start by incorporating affordable housing in the first stage.”

The strategy has been developed to align with the statutory definition of “affordable housing” and to contribute to Shoalhaven City Council’s Affordable Housing Strategy 2018. It involved collaboration with members of Shoalhaven City Council, including Council staff and elected representatives, while a Community Housing Provider was also part of the consultation team.

“We thank everyone who contributed to the development of this strategy, including Council and the Community Housing Provider. The new affordable homes to be delivered at West Culburra will make an important contribution to the broader need for additional permanent affordable housing in the region,” Mr Philpott says.

At West Culburra, Sealark is delivering new homes, a mixed-use commercial and retail precinct, business premises, parks and reserves to bring greater housing choice, affordable homes, new jobs and a vital economic injection to the town.

The Concept Plan for the State Significant Development was approved in December 2021 and Sealark is currently preparing a Development Application for the first stage.

On site, an independent cultural survey has recently been completed in collaboration with the local Jerrinja community, with the next step in this process to be the development of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan.

Sealark has also been progressing the required monitoring program, in both Lake Wollumboola and the Crookhaven River, which confirms the baseline water quality and oyster aquaculture conditions prior to construction commencing on site. The baseline testing program is required to extend over an 18-month period, with 12 months of testing being completed to date.

The adoption of the Affordable Housing Strategy at West Culburra paves the way for a similar strategy to be adopted at Sealark’s other developments, including its Callala Bay project.

Sealark is owned by The Halloran Trust, a registered charity, which was established to fund education, research, community and conservation projects. Sealark also undertakes property management actions to preserve and care for the Lake Wollumboola Biodiversity Stewardship Site.

Sealark’s property development operations enable the company to continue its environmental conservation work, while ensuring The Halloran Trust can continue its support for local projects and organisations.