Lake Macquarie's first build-to-rent apartment block for frontline workers has been approved for Belmont.
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The city's councillors on Monday approved a motion to demolish two existing houses and ancillary structures on Ernest Street, and build a four storey mixed-use building, comprising 23 residential apartments and a ground level commercial unit.
The building will be catered towards employees who cannot work from home, for example, teachers and delivery drivers, and also for occupations which face salary caps with low wage growth.
Developer Urban Villager is behind the project and will stay on to lease and property manage the building.
Urban Villager co-founder and CEO Alice Joy said she believed this project was the first of its kind in the country and that the company opted to build it in Belmont for a reason.
"We could have done this anywhere, but we believe in Belmont because it is an area that is fast gentrifying," she said.
"It used to be quite affordable and now is becoming less affordable and we really believe in supporting frontline workers with a place to live for the long term."
Ms Joy said the project was based on a "triple bottom line" principle - where social and sustainability factors were considered alongside profitability.
The company received a $140,000 federal government grant to raise impact capital. The parameters of the grant are based on a seven year model for tenants to stay, which Ms Joy said would hopefully allow them enough time to save for a house deposit.
"We're really interested in bridging that gap at the affordable end of the private rental market because there is such a strain on social and affordable housing," she said.
The application received one submission about visual privacy concerns for surrounding residences from the rooftop garden area. Council responded saying the rooftop terrace would be located centrally within the site and set back from site boundaries and include raised planter beds.
Councillor Adam Schultz said the site was well located to the town centre and other services, while councillor Christine Buckley said the project was quite unique and "a really exciting development".
Councillor John Gilbert said he would like to see council's residential development contributions discount program for affordable and social housing projects expanded so developments like this can be included.
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