New homes open in North Melbourne 

A $40 million social and affordable housing complex build in North Melbourne has been completed with residents moving into 78 new homes.

The development at Shiel St, which is part of the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build, features a variety one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

More than 100 people on the Victorian Housing Register will begin moving into the new homes, which are also energy efficient allowing tenants to save on power bills.

The site includes safe and publicly accessible open and green spaces, as well as being located with easy access to public transport, shops, schools, and medical facilities.

Minister for Housing Harriet Shing visited the site on March 10 to celebrate the opening of the development, with the build supporting more than 350 jobs.

“Everyone deserves a home that is modern, accessible, and well-connected, and this housing in North Melbourne is a wonderful example of how we are addressing growth and improving liveability,” Ms Shing said.

At least 75 per cent of the new homes will be offered to applicants who have established a priority need for housing including those experiencing homelessness and people with special housing requirements.

Since construction of the development began in November 2020, more than 9200 homes across the state have been completed or are under way through the Big Build. 

The North and West Melbourne Association’s secretary Kevin Chamberlin last year applauded the development, saying “it’s great to see a substantial amount of family accommodation now being incorporated into apartment developments in the City of Melbourne”.

The state government said it was on track to deliver more than 16,000 much-needed new social and affordable homes and create more than 40,000 jobs in construction under a range of programs.