Australian regional communities are leading the way in developing innovative housing solutions and could turn short-term demand into long-term housing supply with government support.
RE-Alliance’s new report How Australia’s shift to renewable energy can deliver beneficial outcomes for regional housing highlights examples from three states where local councils, communities and renewable energy companies and how they worked together to turn temporary housing accommodation into long-term housing assets.
Across six case studies, the report points out that when local councils have the resources to plan early and work closely with communities and developers, they can secure long-term housing benefits.
RE-Alliance National Director Andrew Bray said: “In our work with rural and regional communities, we increasingly hear about the potential impact on local housing and accommodation that an increase in workers for renewable energy and transmission projects can bring.
“Many regions are already experiencing housing shortages, making this issue particularly pressing for communities expecting multiple, concurrent project developments, bringing many hundreds of workers into local areas.”
The report highlighted a case study in Wellington, New South Wales, where the refurbishment of a former aged care facility into worker accommodation led to it becoming a community asset that can transition into housing or other uses after the construction phase is complete.
While the report celebrated these locally-led case studies, RE-Alliance also explores the common barriers to implementing better housing outcomes and stresses that local communities and renewable energy companies need state and federal government support.
The report calls for more state and federal funding for councils to help them plan housing and infrastructure early in the project. There should also be clearer rules and frameworks that encourage temporary housing to turn into legacy housing.
The report also noted that councils need support for essential infrastructure to open new land for homes in areas where they are needed. Communities, councils and renewable energy developers also need to form stronger partnerships.
“Mitigating the risks and potential impacts associated with short term workers’ accommodation is a core requirement for any new development.
“However, as we show in the case studies in this report, where local communities and local governments are supported, it is possible to go beyond simple impact mitigation and deliver legacy housing outcomes for regional communities,” Bray said.