Young Shire Council recently gave the green light to the project, marking the end of a five year approval process and the start to construction.

The approvalmeans the LFE?can now construct 12 one-bedroom brick units which include a private porch and alfresco area, and a brick veneer community hall for use by its residents, all with sustainable gardens, on a double block of land.

The lot to the east and fronting Miro Street is currently vacant land, formerly owned by council and used for parking while to the west, the new development will accompany a respite centre, several sheds and a transportable building.

It is all part of LFE’s bigger picture of providing opportunities and support to meet the individual needs of people with challenged abilities.

“As a training and support service, we identified the need to cater for our ageing service users by providing safe, secure and sustainable accommodation,” Human Services executive Geraldine Oakman said.

“Many have ageing parents and to prevent them from being sent to inappropriate institutions, we decided this is what needs to be done,” she said.

The development will allow carers to closely monitor the health and other needs of residents, provide low cost nutritious meals, a centralised facility for shared eating programs, recreational activities and generic service access, and for residents to have easy access to friendships and company.

It’s been five years in the making and will be LFE’s biggest project since the early 1980s when the Miro Street Residence was built.

“We met with University of NSW architectural students who drew up plans to best suit what we needed,” Ms Oakman added.

LFE is currently sourcing government funding and Ms Oakman said once they’ve secured finances, the 12 month staged construction would begin.

At December’s council meeting, council approved the site to include 12 car parking spaces, one for for each unit, and five visitor car spaces as well as changes and construction to off-road access from both Mackenzie and Miro Streets.

Full story in Monday, February 6, edition.