THE Victorian Government has been urged to make the most of an opportunity to address the growing housing shortage in Ouyen.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said township residents were eager for the government to sell the former Ouyen Primary School site to make way for housing.
Ms Cupper told State Parliament this week the site in Hunt Street was one of three schools in north-west Victoria which were slated for demolition in 2015 to be either repurposed or sold and represented an ideal opportunity to ease the town’s housing shortage.
“Places like Ouyen have both jobs and a great lifestyle to offer, but at present the housing isn’t there to meet that demand,” Ms Cupper said.
“There is a high community interest in the future of the site, particularly as it provides an opportunity to address the growing housing shortage in the town,” she said.
“The local community has also been pushing hard for the land to be divided up for housing.”
Ms Cupper said the first sod was turned for a similar project in Sea Lake just a few weeks ago, where up to eight houses will be built at a former elementary school site off the back of a $300,000 State Government investment.
“This project will make a significant impact on housing availability in Sea Lake and will help to attract more workers and families to the region,” she said.
“We need a similar project in Ouyen.
“In a similar manner to what’s being achieved in Sea Lake, the State Government has an opportunity to step in and tackle housing supply shortages directly through the sale of vacant school assets.”
Ms Cupper said she was aware that a cultural heritage study had been requested at the site on Crown land and it was promising that Mildura Rural City Council had previously expressed interest in potentially securing part of the former Ouyen Primary School site.
The Mildura MP requested an update from Education Minister James Merlino about plans to rezone and sell off the former Ouyen Primary School site.
“I’m very keen to hear a status report on where we are up to, as this site does have great potential to bring some exciting developments to Ouyen, potentially in the immediate future,” she said.
