The Liverpool plains region is working on a plan to use the site of the former TAFE at Quirindi to help ease housing shortages in the region
As part of this commitment, Mayor Doug Hawkins OAM and General Manager Gary Murphy met with NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan in Sydney on 21 February 2024 to discuss the former TAFE site in Quirindi, which has sat empty since it closed in 2017, and its potential use for housing development.
They were able to ascertain from that meeting that the site is surplus to TAFE’s requirements and is suitable for housing development and that TAFE is able to sell the land to other government departments.
A follow up meeting with the Minister for Housing is planned to progress this matter and explore how this site can be used to help alleviate the housing crisis and potentially provide short-term rental accommodation.
“Liverpool Plains Shire Council recognises that housing affordability is a major issue for many of our residents, particularly young families and seniors, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to safe and secure housing,” Mayor Hawkins said.
“We recognise that growth management planning in rural communities is a connected web of employment, provision of services, private sector investment, and multi-layered government support.
“Our Council is committed to working with various government agencies to upgrade infrastructure necessary to support further housing and industrial development in our LGA, as well as, working with both developers, housing providers and government agencies to create new housing developments that are both affordable and environmentally sustainable.”
The mayor said the Council was addressing housing growth and affordability in the region through their Draft Growth Management and Housing Strategy, which was on exhibition for public comment until 1 March.
He said Liverpool Plains Shire Council had provided all towns and villages in the LGA with opportunities to comment on the plan and collaborate with them to discuss how they can best address growth and housing in the region both now and into the future. The response from the local community through a series of public meetings, information sessions and an online survey had been encouraging and shows that housing is an issue that people in the region are keen to address.
