RORY SALAZAR | Finance | Contact
Giorgos Christopoulos said he always felt powerless to solve the housing affordability crisis when he was Mayor of the Greater Diamantina Shire.
However now as the Shire’s premier housing developer he believes he can finally start to shift the dial in the right direction.
“Look, the planning system is the key barrier to delivering affordable housing,” Christo told our reporter with a charismatic smile. “Thankfully I still sit on council as a Ward Councillor so I can cut through some of the more prickly bureaucracy and get my developments over the line.”
The Advocate asked Christo whether he saw a conflict of interest when he found himself being both the developer seeking a planning permit and the local Councillor deciding to grant or refuse that permit.
The well-dressed multimillionaire shook his head and laughed for several minutes.
Taking that as a resounding ‘no’, our reporter questioned what impact his latest development will have on the affordability crisis gripping his local Shire.
“Mate, 95% of housing stock here is heritage listed detached dwellings on large properties that go for over two mil,” Christo said, mostly with his hands.
“But my luxury Kalamata Estate is gunna offer affordable alternatives that increase housing diversity and choice,” he persuasively said in reference to his approved luxury townhouse development.
Despite a large portion of the community objecting to the proposal on planning or racist grounds, during last night’s Council meeting Christo and his Councillor peers unanimously approved his application to construct the 7 architecturally designed, luxury 3 storey townhouses that each boast 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a sauna, spa, butler’s pantry and more.
Christo is proud of his role in solving the Shire’s housing affordability crisis. The former Mayor intends to recoup the costs of constructing his development by bringing the townhouses to market at a starting auction price of $989,000.
“It’s just my way of giving back. Someone’s got to do something,” the affordable housing developer said.
