Going, going, gone: Saleyards site a possible solution to easing Orange housing crisis says Cr David Mallard

Cr David Mallard is hoping the audit will reveal property that will lend itself to the development of social and affordable housing, property like the former saleyards site in McNeilly Avenue.

Already earmarked for industrial development, the 7.43 hectare former saleyards site has drawn one expression of interest from a resident asking that it be considered for affordable housing, which Cr Mallard brought up at last week's meeting of the Council.

Affordable and social housing was one of issues to arise from Orange's recently adopted Local Housing Strategy which looks at the city's growth for the next 30 years.

It's also an issue close to Cr Mallard's heart, having run for local government on a Greens' platform that includes providing social housing.

While the LHS looked at the possibility of zoning and development, a second resolution to come from its adoption last month related to the housing crisis with a summit to be held later this year.

Last week's council meeting was told staff are working on a Homelessness policy for the Council to consider but in the meantime, Cr Mallard wants to get a better picture of land with the potential to be developed into cheap housing.

"Land is the most valuable resource we've got in tackling the housing crisis so I'm asking that any land, before we sell it off, we assess whether it's viable for residential development and particularly for council to play a role in delivering some social and affordable housing," he said.

Cr Mallard said the audit may suggest the saleyards site is unsuitable for housing.

"I mean, it's between existing industrial areas, it's next to the railway line, so I can see it might not be the right parcel but the key thing is, before we make a decision to sell it off for something else, I'd like to get a thorough assessment of whether it is suitable for helping tackle the housing crisis."

It's been argued social housing is not a council issue but Cr Mallard said there were models where councils were stepping up to help alleviate regional Australia's housing crisis.

"The key thing is council has to play as much a role as it can, either directly or by partnering," he said.

"We could look at working with a community housing provider for example," he said adding that partnerships with private developers could also factor in affordable housing.

"But it's not out of the question for council to take on a role of delivering its own housing. It's the norm in some other countries and it is something other councils in Australia have been looking at as well.

"Another options is making land available to transfer to a housing organisation and they can then develop on it and they don't have to buy land in the private market.

"I think the key thing ...every level of government and every organisation that's involved in housing needs to be recognising the crisis we're in and start working together on it."

Recent data from Propertyology shows less that 1.5 per cent of housing is owned by the public sector in Australia while Corelogic reports the median house price (the 50^th percentile of valuation) in Orange is now $712,811.

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