Defence Housing Australia (DHA) today moved one step closer to easing the housing shortage that plagues Darwin by handing over a recently completed home in the residential development, Breezes, Muirhead.
DHA Acting Managing Director, Peter Howman, said the house is one of 50 homes built for Defence members in stage one of the award-winning development, which will see more than 1200 new houses built in the Top End.
'The Darwin economy is booming and therefore the population is growing, and the housing market needs to keep up with that growth,' Mr Howman said.
'DHA, in partnership with the Northern Territory Government, are helping to ease the housing shortage and tight rental market by creating entire communities that house our Defence members, but also provide affordable housing for the community.'
The Breezes development includes 30 percent allocated to Defence members and up to 15 percent offered to the Government for affordable housing, the remaining lots are open to the public.
'In developing Breezes we were looking at more than just building houses,' Mr Howman said. 'We wanted to build a community, a strong integrated community for Defence families that could grow with the booming economy.'
The Breezes development, which was the winner of the 2012 Northern Territory Planning Institute of Australia Awards for Excellence, Best Planning ideas award (small ideas), is a pivotal step, in not only easing the housing market but in permanently integrating tropical design features into Darwin housing.
'These homes have tropical features such as cross-flow ventilation, open-plan design and covered outdoor areas. They are innovative and perfect for the Darwin environment, and by using these techniques we are providing the construction industry in Darwin with a whole new skills base.'
DHA manages more than 2,000 properties in the Northern Territory and more than 19,000 across Australia worth around $10 billion.
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