Evolve Housing was proud to welcome The Honourable Minister Nat Cook MP, Member for Hurtle Vale, and Minister for Human Services in the South Australian Parliament, Mary Patetsos, Chair of the SA Housing Authority (SAHA) and Nick Symonds, the CFO of SAHA to tour our mixed-tenure Lidcombe Rise Development this week. 

The tour was an opportunity to showcase this exceptional large-scale development to our South Australian Delegates while emphasising the innovative thinking around integrated housing models as a means of tackling the critical shortage of social and affordable housing in NSW.  

Respected partners of Evolve Housing were also present on-site including Rick Graf, Senior Executive of Billbergia, Scott Langford, Group CEO of St George Community Housing (SGCH) and SGCH non-executive director Philip Fagan-Schmidt. 

Our esteemed colleagues from the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) were also in attendance including Naveen Chandra, Executive Director of Strategy and Delivery and colleagues from the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) including Nathan Dal Bon, CEO of NHFIC. 

It is meaningful partnerships amongst State and Federal Government, Private Sector Developers and Not-For-Profit Community Housing Providers (CHPS) that enable us to develop large-scale mixed-tenure developments such as Lidcombe Rise and this project is a clear example of just that.  

This collaboration saw representatives of different sectors come together yesterday to see at scale, the impact these partnerships have on the creation of a vibrant, bustling neighbourhood of mixed-tenure housing, on land that was once vacant. 

Once complete, Lidcombe Rise is set to deliver 376 new homes, including 63 social housing properties which Evolve Housing will manage on behalf of the NSW Land and Housing Corporation on a 20-year lease, and 93 affordable housing properties which will be owned and managed by Evolve Housing. 

The remaining 220 properties are private market dwellings, currently being sold on an ‘off the plan’ basis by our development partner Billbergia Group and as of the 31st of January, 85% of the private market dwellings have been sold. 

The dwelling configurations of the social housing units comprise of 21 one-bedroom apartments and 42 two-bedroom apartments, while the affordable housing dwellings include 30 one-bedroom, 43 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom apartments. This configuration split is targeted to meet the demographic need and priorities of respective client cohorts that will be housed in this development. 

Evolve Housing is exceptionally proud to have partnered with the Billbergia Group and the NSW Land and Housing Corporation on the delivery of this project. Evolve Housing Group CEO, Lyall Gorman commended the efforts of those involved in the development which will bring relief to those on the social housing waiting list. 

“There has never been a more important time to develop social housing in Sydney, and this project will deliver new, high-quality homes to fulfil that demand, while also boosting the economy.”  

“We are pleased to be working with the NSW Land and Housing Corporation and the Billbergia Group to create a thriving, accessible new community for the people of Lidcombe.” 

“I extend our thanks to the State and Federal Governments for their contribution to the funding and development of this project and we look forward to growing the supply of social and affordable housing stock in NSW”. Mr Gorman said. 

The social housing apartment block is expected to house tenants in early 2023, while the affordable and private market housing block is due for completion later in the year.  

Lidcombe Rise is conveniently located near public transport, schools, the Lidcombe Library, an aquatic centre, and public open spaces for residents to enjoy. Given the current adverse rental crisis, the timing of this development is well-placed to provide much needed social and affordable housing in Sydney.