Cobram 2025 Cobram Strategy Plan - Moira Shire Council

Cobram Strategy Plan
Final Report
5 Affordable Housing and Oasis Village
One of the factors instrumental in initiating this strategy plan review has been a
proposal to establish a “village” of affordable housing on land at the south-west
corner of Cobram – Koonoomoo Road and Richie Road (part of the area shown
as option ‘E’ in Figure 6). The nature and merits of the proposal warrant fulsome
and separate discussion.
Following consideration of the proposal, the Moira Shire Council issued a Notice
of Decision to Grant a Planning Permit in support of the proposed development.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) has appealed this
decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Oasis Village is an established “caravan park” on the north side of the
Koonoomoo Road east of Richie Road, Cobram. Over a 12 year period Oasis
Homes Australia Pty Limited, has built and sited on the land a range of lower cost
prefabricated homes in a park setting. The site has a finished capacity for 166
moveable homes. The housing product has been highly sought as a retirement
and lifestyle option due to its low capital and reoccurring costs. The demand is
evident in the 25 – 30 dwellings established per annum and the labour force that
has been engaged in the prefabrication and construction of the homes. The
village has been established and operated under the provisions of the Caravan
Parks and Moveable Dwellings Act.
The dwellings are moveable, occupying serviced sites (not private allotments) and
residents pay a site rental and not municipal rates.
The role and demand for this manner of affordable lifestyle housing has been
demonstrated with the current site approaching capacity and the continuing latent
demand.
5.1 A New Village
In 2005 the Moira Shire Council received a planning permit application to use and
develop land at the south-west corner of Cobram – Koonoomoo Road and Richie Road,
for a new and additional residential village to be known as Oasis Village Common.
In summary, the housing concept was intended to be similar to that described
above, with the concept conceived as 750 sites in 5 smaller villages or precincts.
The development would have a woodland setting, various recreational facilities
and a community centre and a factory to build the homes, replacing the factory at
Karook Street.
While a final decision making process will be the subject of a VCAT consideration,
the brief for this strategy plan review has sought comment on the strategic
planning merit of the proposal and its proposed location.
This report does not attempt to document and evaluate the detail of application.
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