BUILDER Carlo Gazzola wants the northern entrance at Bridgewater to be a hub that helps solve housing affordability in Victoria.
Carlos’s vision would see his company building more portables, cabins and tiny homes on the Calder Highway property he purchased seven years ago.
He also wants to have a small display village of affordable home options at the site.
However, there’s one hitch the head of family company CDLS has to overcome.
While the property was bought as a single lot, the current planning permit only allows construction activity on one of two parcels that make up the property.
Carlo said talks had started with Loddon Shire to have the permit extended to the whole property
“The block has always been one property ... it was used by trucks and for storage before we bought it,” Carlo said.
“It’s just a technicality that there are two titles for the one property.
Son Leigh said potential business growth would create local employment.
“We want to create more work and more growth ... we already use a welder who lives in Inglewood, we have an apprentice from Inglewood and a labourer from Bridgewater,” Leigh said.
“If we are based here in Bridgewater, instead of Bendigo, we can employ even more locals.”
Carlo said the family company currently had a selection studio in Bendigo. “When we had to move into Bendigo four years ago, that saw four families leave the district.”
CDLS is currently building six cabins and a home for customers in the Loddon region.
Carlo and Leigh said it took about three months for each building.
“We can be part of the housing crisis solution ... building an alternative so people can save for a larger home without the burden of rent,” Carlo said.
A Loddon Shire spokesperson said they could not discuss particular property details “but if a planning permit is issued for a particular parcel, you would need to apply to amend a permit if you wished to use additional parcels of land for the use”.
“Depending on the zone or overlays under the Loddon Planning Scheme, a planning permit may trigger to use the land and develop buildings and works. When a planning permit is required, then a planning permit application would need to be submitted and assessed under the Loddon Planning Scheme. The information required to be submitted depends on the application use and the relevant planning scheme policy.”
They said tiny homes on wheels were defined as caravans under the shire’s local laws.
Carlo said tiny homes were an option for entry to the housing market. “People can live in one for two or three years, save, build (new home) and then sell the tiny home.”