City of Greater Geraldton to lobby State Government to release $3.2m left over from foreshore development

The City of Greater Geraldton is lobbying the State Government to release $3.2 million left over from the Beresford Foreshore development to help build short-stay accommodation and a caravan park.

Mayor Jerry Clune confirmed the city would be writing to Regional Development Minister Don Punch to request the funds be released to put towards the two projects in Geraldton.

The funding was allocated to the city under the Royalties for Regions program from the State Government to help redevelop the Beresford Foreshore, a project which was completed in October 2018.

Mr Clune said it was not the first time the city had suggested the State Government release these funds for local projects.

“The city has unsuccessfully suggested a number of projects to the State that the funds could be allocated to for the benefit of the Geraldton community, “ he said.

Mr Clune said the letter to Mr Punch would detail the Olive Street housing project and the Mahomets Flats Short Stay Accommodation Holiday Village.

“Both projects are in keeping with the Federal and State governments’ desire to increase accommodation options to help address the current national housing crisis,” he said.

Councillors unanimously voted in favour of the proposal at the May ordinary meeting, for seven four-bedroom homes to be built in the Olive Street precinct on McAleer Drive and Willcock Drive.

“The city urges the State Government to prioritise the release of these funds as the buying power of the unspent capital reduces year on year,” Mr Clune said.

In June, Mr Clune and city director of development services Ryan Hall met Housing, Homelessness and Lands Minister John Carey and Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton to lobby for funding for three ventures to help ease the city’s housing shortage.

Both the Olive Street project and caravan park are in the early concept, planning and investigation stages but Mr Clune was confident they would offer a strategic response to a growing problem.

“Providing they receive council endorsement along with financial support from the State Government, they will offer strategic responses by the city to help alleviate Geraldton’s accommodation crisis,” he added.

The Mahomets Flats concept design features 32 caravan spaces, and 137 one, two and three-bedroom prefabricated units in the key worker accommodation section.

There will be 132 caravan and camping sites with 21 two-bedroom units in the short-stay section of the holiday village.