We, the undersigned residents and community members of North Albury, strongly oppose the proposed development by Homes NSW of a three-storey social housing complex consisting of 27 units and only 19 parking spaces at 310-314 Swan Streetand 984-988 Corella Street. While we support initiatives to provide housing for those in need, this specific proposal poses significant concerns for our community:

1. Safety and Welfare of Children and Schools:
   • The proposed development is within close proximity to seven local schools: Wewak Street School, James Fallon High School, Albury North Public School, Kandeer School, St Anne’s Primary School, Xavier High School, and Aspect Riverina School.
   • Increased traffic and congestion pose heightened safety risks for students, families, and school staff, particularly during peak school drop-off and pick-up times.
2. Traffic and Public Transport Impacts:
   • With only 19 parking spaces allocated for 27 units, parking overflow onto local streets is inevitable, significantly increasing congestion and limiting access for existing residents, visitors, support workers, emergency vehicles, and school-related traffic.
   • Local public transport infrastructure will face increased demand, potentially reducing its reliability and accessibility for current users.
3. Property Value and Financial Impact:
   • The introduction of a large, densely populated public housing block could negatively impact property values, affecting the financial security and investments of existing homeowners in the area.
4. Excessive Concentration of Social Housing:
   • This development would significantly increase the existing high concentration of public housing in North Albury, creating the largest public housing cluster in Albury. This contradicts best-practice principles of balanced community housing distribution and integration.
5. Safety and Antisocial Behaviour Concerns:
   • The community is already facing issues related to antisocial behaviour linked to existing social housing clusters. Increasing the density could exacerbate these issues, undermining the safety and wellbeing of local residents.
6. Loss of Community Cohesion and Character:
   • Introducing a three-storey building to an area predominantly characterised by single-storey homes disrupts the neighbourhood’s character, diminishing the quality of life and sense of community cohesion valued by current residents.
7. Extended Disruption During Construction:
   • Demolishing existing homes and constructing a large-scale development will involve significant noise, dust, traffic disruption, and inconvenience over an extended period, adversely impacting the daily lives and wellbeing of current residents.

We call upon Homes NSW and relevant authorities to reconsider and substantially amend this proposal to better align with the needs, safety, and values of our local community. We request the proposal be replaced or significantly modified to a low-rise, lower-density option that ensures child safety, preserves community cohesion, maintains property values, and appropriately balances social housing within North Albury.

Please sign below to show your support in protecting the future of our neighbourhood and ensuring a safe, balanced, and thriving community.