Youth home plan riles neighbours
A PROPOSED unit block set to house up to 40 vulnerable young people has outraged residents living in the area, with dozens signing a petition to halt the project.
The proposed development by the Department of Housing is a five-storey, 40unit housing block to be built across two blocks on Elizabeth St, Aitkenvale.
Known as a “Youth Foyer”, the unit block will provide homes to young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Young residents must be employed or in school to live there and will be supported 24/7 by service provider Mission Australia.
The State Government is building two Youth Foyers, one on the Gold Coast which is under construction and one in Townsville, as a key part of its 10-year housing strategy.
Residents living in and around the area claim they had no idea the project existed until they were doorknocked last week. In heated scenes on Tuesday evening, more than 30 residents confronted Mundingburra MP Coralee O’rourke and Department of Housing representatives at a community meeting held on site.
Resident Donna Larsen, whose home shares a border with the land block, said she was uncomfortable with the height of the building.
“They’ll be able to look down into the backyard at my kids using the pool, and it’s going to devalue my property,” she said. “That’s the concept, we don’t have an issue with it, troubled youth needing a home, that’s great but five storeys, 40 units overlooking family backyards isn’t so good.
“Mission Australia knocked on my door last Wednesday … I asked my neighbours and they said they had heard nothing about it.” Ms Larsen then instigated a petition that is being circu- lated to irate residents.
Other residents that the Townsville Bulletin spoke to raised concerns about traffic, noise, safety, why they were not consulted about the development and if five-storey buildings were even allowed in the area.
Under the Planning Act, public housing does not require development approval from local government but it does need to be considered against the council’s local planning scheme.
It is understood the site on 31 and 33 Elizabeth St falls under the “Aitkenvale Medium Density Precinct” which allows for medium rise buildings up to five storeys.
The site was purchased by the State Government for $1.1 million.
During the project’s announcement in August 2018, the State Government said $15.1 million had been allocated for land purchase, construction and provision of support services at the Foyer.
Ms O’rourke said at the meeting she would be escalating residents’ concerns to her colleague Housing Minister Mick de Brenni.
Mr de Brenni said his department would take the concerns of residents on board and work with them to deliver a building that fits in with community expectations.