Couple taking positive steps to address housing
By Mitch Gaynor
FOUR years ago, Lynda Utting and her husband moved to their quiet Beerwah neighbourhood, drawn by the affordability of the hinterland town.
As they settled in, it wasn’t long before they became acutely aware of the rapid change happening around them – new densely built townhouse developments popping up, replacing the single-storey homes that had long defined the character of streets like theirs.
Housing availability and affordability by this time was now a daily topic of concern in the media.
But rather than cashing in on their large 1800m2 (medium density zoned) site and moving on, Lynda and husband, Mark, saw an opportunity that they hoped would create more housing yet maintain a strong sense of community, affordability and liveability for prospective residents, as well as for themselves.
“My heart has always been with the refugees, the homeless, and those struggling with finding safe, affordable housing,” Lynda explained. “We thought, if we could build something small, attractive and affordable, we could try to make a difference.”
After consulting a town planner, they learned that subdividing the property wasn’t an option due to too many neighbouring homes. But that didn’t deter them.
Instead, they began sketching out ideas, using model cardboard cutouts of their property to envision the possibilities.
Over the next two years, their vision slowly took shape – to build three two-bedroom units – sustainable, wheelchair accessible, affordable and elegant housing for those in need. “Sustainable” meaning 7 or 8 NatHERS star rating to minimise the need for artificial cooling and heating. Plus, a 1.5 storey house at the back. (They will retain the existing 1980s house at the front).
The solution for most developers, it seems, is to create “cookie-cutter” style townhouses and units, devoid of any green or vegetation – in short, creating a community of small ‘urban heat islands’.
“We want to create something unique, not just a row of identical townhouses,” Lynda said. “Our main vision is to create a community within a community”. “The council wants between five and nine dwellings on a medium density block this size, so we are going for just five, to maximise space for gardens and trees.” “Each unit will have its own character, with different colours, garden shapes, and even fruit trees that the residents can harvest from. Our aim is to provide green spaces, and lots of trees, vegetation and native birdlife, which characterises the street.”
Admittedly, the process has been daunting at times.
As “Mum and Dad investors” (rather than “seasoned developers”), the couple have had to navigate a maze of council regulations, fees, and building code requirements.
But they’ve persevered, inspired by experts like property analyst Mal CAYLEY (Optiwise), “who has been predicting this housing crisis on the Sunshine Coast for 30 years,” Lynda said. “He could see where things were going – not enough houses being built to meet the demand. The key is to increase housing supply. That’s why we knew we had to do our little bit. It’s called “gentle density” (or the “missing middle”) – which is about providing diverse, affordable housing choices in sustainable, walkable neighbourhoods.”
The couple are now in the final stages of the planning process, awaiting approval for their operational works.
Once that’s secured, they can begin the physical transformation of the site, retaining some of the existing trees and incorporating features like passionfruit vines and dwarf fruit trees in the communal areas. It’s clear the housing crisis is not going to go away anytime soon, which is the reason Mark and Lynda are choosing to be part of the solution to combat ‘first-time homelessness’ and improve affordability on the Sunshine Coast.