The solution to Perth’s housing affordability crisis lies in firm partnerships between local government authorities and developers, according to Gustavo Thiermann, a director of multi-disciplinary design house HBO+EMTB.

Thiermann was a member of a Q&A panel in Perth that included Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, Tourism WA Development Director Daniel Sweet and Homebuyers General Manager Greg Carter, quizzed by members of Perth’s real estate and development community.

He was a designer behind the award-winning Lilyfield redevelopment public housing project for Housing NSW, an agency of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services. The project involved the demolition of 40-low rise residential dwellings and the construction of a contemporary 88-dwelling multi unit housing facility.

The Lilyfield redevelopment sets a new standard for sustainable social housing in Australia. Image: Housing NSW

HBO+EMTB says the Lilyfield redevelopment ticked all the sustainability boxes, with low energy, water consumption and greenhouse emissions. The development provides a strong sense of community and encourages an active lifestyle.

“Public-private cooperation is the key to providing affordable housing for an ever-increasing number of households and families,” Thiermann says.

“We’ve had great success at transforming buildings and sites into modern, medium-density, high-amenity housing incorporating a mixture of layouts that satisfy the needs of both singles and families. These projects have proven to be both functional and flexible while ensuring that the changing needs of residents are met for many years to come.

“Our challenge is to convince local government to allow greater densities that we can demonstrate will have no detrimental effect on the surrounding neighbourhood. Consultation with the community is essential, and in the case of Lilyfield, they were quite happy to accept something like this.”

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said she was keen to get a greater mix and diversity of housing stock in the Perth CBD. She talked of encouraging single young, first time buyers into considering smaller apartments.

“Why not go for the one-bedroom? You’re going out to pubs and clubs and restaurants most of the week, you’re working long hours and probably visiting your families on the weekend, so actually a one-bedroom would be a really good way to enter the real estate market,” she said.

The panel also discussed Perth’s hotel shortage, with anecdotal evidence of apartment investors renting their residential properties for unregulated, short-term accommodation to take advantage of soaring hotel room prices that are reaching rates of up to $1000 a night for a standard room.

Both Ms Scaffidi and Mr Sweet said the practice jeopardised the integrity of the hotel and tourism industry and disadvantaged genuine Perth city residents.

They hoped the recent State Government decision to move the FESA headquarters to allow for a hotel development in the CBD will be fast-tracked to alleviate the hotel room crisis.

The government’s incentives for hotel development in the way of crown land contributions and floor space bonuses to developers were welcome initiatives, they said.

The event was hosted by HBO+EMTB and law firm Middletons.

Architecture & Design Team

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