Ecovillage set to be a first
A proposal for a $4 million ecovillage in Denmark’s CBD could be the first collaborative housing project in a regional town in Australia if approved, according to prospective developers.
The precinct, planned for a block of land on Mt Shadforth Road close to the town centre, would comprise 12 houses and a common house, and be based on environmentally sustainable designs, including solar-passive buildings, solar power and recycled water use.
Environmental planner Paul Llewellyn, who called for expressions of interest for an eco-village in April, said discussions led to a community group forming a development company Deco Living in December, which hoped to construct homes on behalf of the group’s members.
“We have a very strong environmental ethic in doing this and we are trying to build a community around that … it is much more tangible now we have the land and established interest from people who want to be a part of it.”
Deco Living managing director Donald Clarke said settlement on the block of land was due on April 17 and the group hoped to appoint an architect this week.
Mr Clarke said there were only two other co-housing projects in Australia — one in Fremantle and one in Tasmania — and Deco Living intended to set a benchmark for medium-density housing and community living.
“They are both in metropolitan areas, so this would be the only one in the heart of a regional town,” he said. “Both those projects are more than 20 years old, so we are looking to up the ante in terms of sustainability so there wouldn’t be another project like this in Australia — it would be unique.”
The group is in discussions with the Great Southern Community Housing Association about the possibility of three houses being subsidised rental properties.
“That would give us the opportunity to allow members of the community who don’t have the equity to purchase their own strata home to still be part of the residence,” Mr Clarke said.
However, he admitted it was early days until a planning application was submitted to the Shire of Denmark.
Shire president Ross Thornton said the council had been briefed by the group on their proposal three weeks ago but it was premature to comment on the plan.
“Once a development plan application is received by the Shire, it will be considered, possibly as a group housing development,” he said.
“In theory, the Shire would support anything based on the development of sustainability practices that would reduce reliance on the electricity grid to power the site but, until a formal process begins, it is all up in the air.”
