$ 50M ECO VILLAGE
BARWON WATER TURNS DEVELOPER: 81 green homes for Torquay water basin site
BARWON Water aims to make a splash in the property sector, designing a $50 million housing estate that it says will be the region’s most sustainable.
The water authority has unveiled its plan to convert a former water basin site in Torquay into a new residential area, dubbed Salt Torquay, hosting 7.5-star homes, with lots ranging up to 830sq m. The Geelong Adver
tiser has learnt the new estate will host 81 dwellings.
BARWON Water aims to make a splash in the property sector, designing a $50 million housing estate that it says will be the region’s most sustainable.
The water authority has unveiled its plan to convert a former water basin site in Torquay into a new residential area hosting 7.5-star homes, with lots ranging up to 830sq m.
The Geelong Advertiser has learnt the estate will host 81 dwellings.
There will be 45 individual lots, and seven superlots that accommodate a range of dwell- ings and affordable housing options. Dubbed Salt Torquay, the project will help the authority limit wider residential water bills and showcase its internal target of having zero emissions by 2030.
Barwon Water managing director Tracey Slatter said the former water basin on Grossmans Rd was no longer needed and the estate would bring life to the dormant area.
She said the project would target local contractors and stimulate more than $50 mil- lion worth of development.
“We are incredibly proud of our plans for the site,” Ms Slatter said.
“This estate really sees us walk the talk in terms of living our goals of zero emissions, zero waste and delivering customer and community value.”
The proposed eco-features include a 250kW solar array on Barwon Water’s adjacent land to allow renewable energy to generate most of the estate’s total energy demand.
Houses would be designed to harvest rainwater and have a minimum 7.5 star energy rating. They would also include: HOUSEHOLD solar and battery storage; ELECTRIC car charging points; and, SMART water meters using Internet of Things technology.
Water management would include swales, a raingarden, integrated landscaping and a nature playground.
“Transforming the former basin site into a showcase of innovative urban development is a win-win for sustainability and customer prices,” Ms Slatter said.
Barwon Water has set a key target of using only renewable energy by 2025, and is investing heavily in a range of projects. It aims to be carbon neutral within a further five years.
Household water bill increases will remain under inflation over the next two years, before prices rise higher from mid-2019. The average residential bill will increase by $3.80 per quarter over 2017-18.