New data finds that better housing choices and diversity are needed to meet the community’s needs and Geelong’s population growth.
The state independent infrastructure adviser Infrastructure Victoria surveyed more than 6000 people from Melbourne, Ballarat and Geelong on the region’s housing preferences.
Chief executive officer doctor Jonathan Spear said the survey was one of the biggest in Australia and found that one in three Geelong households would trade a detached home in a new suburb for a townhouse or low-rise apartment for the same price closer to the city centre.
“We have always been calling out the strong connection between where people live and then the infrastructure that they need,” he said.
“We did a very comprehensive piece of research over about 18 months, to look at why people choose to live where they do and where they would like to live if they had a different choice.”
Dr Spear said they found that many families and first-home buyers wanted more home choices in established suburbs and that Geelong’s infrastructure was not being used as much as it could.
“We’re currently off track in terms of where Council and the Geelong community are saying they wanted to be,” he said.
“They tell us they’re interested in low-rise apartments and townhouses that are of a good design quality.
“These are important parts of opening the supply of those homes, that one in three households in Geelong tell us that they would rather have.
“More three-to-four-bedroom townhouses, units and low-rise apartments will give many more Victorians more housing choices and the chance to live closer to jobs and existing infrastructure.”
Dr Spear said Infrastructure Victoria presented a package of options to the State Government, which included better design standards incorporated within planning provisions.
“That’ll help with the growing future population of Geelong as well because Geelong remains a really attractive place for people to come to,” she said.
“If we can have a bigger mix of choice for where people live, that’ll make for a better shaped Geelong.”
First home buyer Brady Stevens said he was renting in Port Melbourne and looking to buy a property when his friend encouraged him to look into buying a townhouse in Armstrong Creek.
“I knew that I didn’t want to buy something for the same price and have limited or virtually no space if I was to buy in the city,” he said.
“She (friend) was saying how much of a mix it was in that it is a little bit coastal, close enough to Geelong to have access to everything you need, but with a bit of a middle ground.
“The townhouse was the middle ground and a more affordable price range for what I had.”
Mr Stevens said he purchased the townhouse for $390,000 with the help of two government grants.
“There was the first homeowners grant, as in the first home buyers grant, and there was the first home builders grant as well,” he said.
“So, if you built in a certain period and signed a contract before a certain time, that gave you close to another $20,000.
“That was the incentive to do it (purchase the property) now rather than wait.”
Mr Stevens said he was glad he purchased the townhouse in Armstrong Creek and had a more diverse housing option.
“I love living in the area,” he said.
“I feel like it’s got a lot more development coming.”
