Margaret River town centre housing solution in limbo with no timeline from Department of Communities

WA’s Department of Communities is unable to give a timeframe for when a possible mixed-density housing project might be considered for Margaret River’s Willmott Avenue.

Development plans for the defunct Water Corporation site were approved last year. The site was then the subject of a direct pitch from the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River to Housing Minister John Carey.

The potential two-storey site could feature at least seven to 10 homes, and house up to 50 residents.

The 2304sqm site was approved by councillors in 2023 as a sustainable housing option within walking distance of the town centre, but shire leaders previously pitched the project to the minister for support, rather than selling the site to the private sector.

However, a shire spokesperson said no word had yet come back from the State Government and a Communities spokesperson could only acknowledge the project was still in consideration.

“The Department of Communities is continuously assessing and procuring appropriate land to provide for future development of social housing,” the spokesperson said.

“A number of factors are taken into consideration as part of this assessment including lot feasibility, local planning regulations, social housing waitlist demand, and proximity to local amenities and public transport.”

Infill development close to the town centre was one of many priorities identified by the shire council’s advocacy committee which formed last year to push for greater State and Federal Government support for the region.