Affordable homes for seniors on track

A new housing project in Donnybrook marked a huge milestone with a sod turning ceremony at the weekend. The project, driven by Alliance Housing, aims at building 10 new units on Bridge Street for the senior population of the South West town. Expected to be completed by mid-2022, the $3.25 million project will home members of the community over 65 or above 55 if Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Alliance Housing, which put $1.25 million into the project, will have ownership of the site after practical completion with the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup retaining the right to repurchase the land in the future. Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan and Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns joined Donnybrook Shire president Brian Piesse and Alliance Housing chair Jan Pederson for the ceremony on Saturday. Mr Piesse said the need for affordable housing was paramount, especially a project which focused on senior citizens. “With a growing need for ageing-in-place choices for local families, it is important that this valued demographic of our community have affordable long term housing options that will in some way enrich the lives of those who choose to remain or become residents of our Shire,” he said. Ms MacTiernan said the project would expand the stock of aged accommodation in the region and provide more options for the elderly in their own communities. “We also see an increasing number of Western Australians choosing regional living and expanding housing helps drive that positive trend,” she said. Ms Pederson said the not-for-profit organisation was happy to deliver this project to the people of Donnybrook. The State Government contributed the remaining $2 million for the project.