Melbourne gets new suburb to help ease housing affordability crisis

Melbourne is set to gain a new suburb to help ease the city’s housing affordability crisis.

The new suburb at Wollert in Melbourne’s northern outskirts is set to provide 15,000 new homes for 42,000 people, accommodating 7000 jobs.

It’s part of the government’s plan to release 100,000 lots of land by the end of 2018.

“We think this is one the greatest challenges,” Richard Wynne, Victorian Planning Minister, said.

“We know each year on year we are going to have 100,000 people every year and that’s why we’re conscious of the need so we don’t fall behind.”

The new 1400-hectare suburb will sit between Craigieburn Road, Summerhill Road, Curly Sedge Creek and the reservation slated for the future E6.

The suburb is set to have three town centres and five schools.

Construction on the ten-year project is expected to start in the coming months.