The Project – October 2015
Organisation – the People
We have a Project Director; a Construction Project Manager for Stage 1 infrastructure and the Bower Cluster; a Community Architect who liaised with the firm Hill Thalis to produce our Masterplan and about 20 other consultants.
We have a Project Team, a Community Development Team, a Land Team, Buildings & Infrastructure Team and an Economic Wellbeing Team – all formed by keen NEV Co-op members.
We have paid consultants, consultants and helpers who receive reduced and/or deferred remuneration to help the project cash flow and volunteers – all contributing their expertise to bring this important and delightful project to fruition.
Stage 1
The ecovillage is to be phased in 2 or 3 stages. In Stage 1, as well as 42 standard blocks (av 550sqm) we also have 17 or 18 wonderful house and land packages available in the Bower Cluster, which is situated in the heart of the ecovillage. They have been designed in keeping with our environmental and aesthetic goals and while final fixed prices remain some time away, we can let you know preliminary ‘ballpark’ figures.
Stage One Infrastructure
Infrastructure design is progressing for the roads and bridges and the electrical distribution as well as the Smart Grid (funded by our NSW Office of Environment grant), the water reticulation and the NBN. We are hopeful of appointing a Civils contractor by the end of the year and pressing the infrastructure go button.
Landscaping Detailed Design
We have recently appointed a Landscape Design firm who have technical skill and understand and share our vision and values for Permaculture. Both our hard and soft landscaping is a critical element for the overall experience of the village and we are excited to have engaged their services. Members of our Land Team will be acting as our client group to progress the design to completion with these consultants.
Planning Proposal (Rezoning)
So that we can further achieve our goals of housing diversity and affordability, as well as integrated business activity, we are preparing to submit a Planning Proposal for our site, which will influence the future stages of our development.
Earlier this year a rezoning workshop was held with 30 Co-op members and was followed by a number of meetings with Gosford Council. We are currently on schedule for lodging this application with the NSW Department of Planning by the end of the 2015 year.
WICA
Our goal is to supply our own drinking water and to capture, store and recycle all ecovillage wastewater.
IPART (the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal) administers the licensing of private water utilities in NSW under the Water Industry and Competition Act (WICA). We are working with Aquacell, who will hold our water license, to answer all requests for information from IPART. This is a critical path item for our project right now. As well as our due diligence and action to achieve our license, we ask our friends to send positive and successful outcome vibrations to all our dear Friends at IPART and the NSW government in general.
Financing the Project
Narara Ecovillage members continue to amaze!
It looks now quite possible that our members will finance the whole project and that we will not need the expensive and often debilitating pressure that comes with a bank loan
Audited Accounts & Disclosure Statement (DS5)
We have finalised the accounts for the year ended on 30/6/15, which means that Disclosure Statement (DS4) is officially out of date and we’ll have a pause taking new members while the new document is prepared. But don’t worry, we can still field all your enquiries and invite you to come and join in village activities to get to know us better.