Council advocates for more affordable rentals ahead of election

Published on 26 March 2025

Mount Alexander Shire Council is advocating for federal funding to deliver a new 22 apartment development in Templeton Street, Castlemaine ahead of the upcoming federal election.  

The project will deliver affordable rental apartments on Council land at 65 Templeton Street Castlemaine. Apartments will be a mix of one and two-bedrooms, a household type that is currently lacking locally.

“Our community desperately needs more affordable rental homes,” said Mayor Rosie Annear.

At the 2021 census, Mount Alexander Shire recorded 15% of occupied homes were available as rentals (e.g. private, public and community housing). This is almost half the state average of 27.4%, and much less than the City of Greater Bendigo figure of 26.9%. 

Information from local real estate agents indicates that available rentals in the shire have dropped even further with the sale of ex-rentals. 

“When you look at the data, and combine that with what we’re hearing from our community, it’s hard not to be alarmed about the lack of affordable rental housing here,” said Mayor Annear.

“This is why we absolutely need this Templeton Street development project funded,” she said.

The project for affordable rental housing in central Castlemaine has been in the pipeline since 2021.

In 2022, community members provided input on the proposal, with more than 80% of survey respondents supportive of Council’s plans to proceed. 

In 2023, Mount Alexander Shire Councillors unanimously agreed to go ahead with the project, in partnership with local community housing provider Haven Home Safe.

Since then, Haven Home Safe and Council have been seeking funding for the apartment development.

Due to costs associated with advancing the project and levels of available funding, the original plan to progress both 30A and 65 Templeton Street at the same time has been revised and will now be completed in stages, with 65 Templeton Street put forward first.    

“65 Templeton Street is centrally located land in Castlemaine, can accommodate local people in need of affordable housing, and will help ease housing stress in our community – it’s a win-win,” said Mayor Annear.

Council and community housing partner Haven Home Safe have already worked through initial design work on the site in preparation for funding. 

“We are ready to engage with our community once the planning consultation process can begin,” said Mayor Annear.  

“We just need the funding so we can press the go button,” she said.

Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Darren Fuzzard and Mayor Rosie Annear have been meeting with state and federal representatives to put forward the Templeton Street project as an election priority.

“Investment from the Federal Government will give our community faith that our concerns are being listened to, and acted on, at the very highest level,” said Mayor Annear.

“At a local government level, we’re doing what we can to support the increase of affordable housing in our shire,” she said. 

“We’re helping make this happen by providing Council land, partnering with trusted community housing providers to deliver the housing, setting up the Mount Alexander Affordable Housing Trust, and working with the state to release land for affordable housing.”

“There’s a long way to go, but we’re not giving up. Affordable housing requires collaboration across all levels of government, in partnership with our community – and we’ll continue to do that in the coming weeks, months, and years ahead,” said Mayor Annear.

“We know that our community also cares deeply about the housing situation and we encourage you to let all of the local candidates in the Federal election know if you support our request for funding of the Templeton Street project,” Mayor Annear added.

For more information on what Council is doing to increase affordable housing in the shire, visit www.shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/affordable-housing. 

Snapshot on affordable housing needs in Mount Alexander Shire:

• Mount Alexander Shire needs more than 1000 rental homes to reach the state average
• $473 is the median weekly rent in the shire
• The availability of affordable rentals has declined by at least 20% since 2015
• Between 47% and 59% of current renters in the shire are in rental stress
• At least 14% of shire households are in mortgage stress
• 5,669 more people will call the shire home by 2046
• The shire needs more affordable smaller homes (one and two-bedrooms) as these are lacking, and in high demand.