Mayor Reg Kidd has not given up hope that the Land and Housing Corporation can be convinced to move planned social housing developments in East Orange elsewhere.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It can be revealed a meeting was held last week between NSW government executives and representatives from council over the controversial plans to demolish several social housing properties and replace them with smaller, higher density accommodation.
Social housing residents including the Gow family have received letters and in-person visits in recent weeks advising them they are to be moved from their properties, with no timeline or details on where they may be relocated.
Locals residents say the current mix of social housing tenants, renters and owners is successful and, rather than being dismantled, should be a model for town planning.
They are also concerned about the streetscape - which includes historic property Strathroy and 19th century workman's cottages - being altered for the worse.
Cr Kidd said the executive director strategy and delivery, Housing and Property Group, Naveen Chandra, had travelled with another government executive from Sydney last week to discuss the planned demolitions and the public outcry that has followed.
"I got the impression they were willing to listen," said Cr Kidd.
"They were quite surprised at some of the things we talked about - I don't think they had a complete understanding of the cultural and social significance of that area with Strathroy."
After the story broke about the anger, anxiety and sadness among East Orange residents, Cr Kidd phoned Mr Chandra and invited him to come to Orange to discuss the issue.
"He took up that offer, and I believe they were going out to visit the site," he said.
"We said to them that as a council we support social housing, and we are looking at it in our planning so that new developments must have an element of social housing."
However Cr Kidd told the government representatives that Spring Street and nearby Summer Street in East Orange were not the right place to increase social housing density.
The protest group's Deanne Phillips said she hoped to discuss the issue with NSW MLC Sam Farraway this week.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Send us a letter to the editor using the form below ...
