THE shortage of short term accommodation is starting to impact Katherine industry.
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Another big employer has been forced to invest in a hostel to house its workers as “affordable short term accommodation in Katherine is often limited and overbooked”.
Horticulture company Seven Fields Pty Ltd plans to build eight accommodation units for seasonal workers, mainly backpackers, next to their mango packing shed in Gillard Crescent.
Only last month, due to a similar lack of “available accommodation” in town, a Tindal contractor said it wanted to build a workers’ hostel in the town.
NT Energy plans to build a hostel in Fourth Street, at the back of the Beagle Motel.
NT Energy has won some of the half billion dollar upgrade work at the Tindal RAAF Base.
Seven Fields said the use of its hostel would be limited to the times of the seasonal use of its packing shed.
“To secure the required workforce for consistent operation at peak times, Seven Fields is required to offer reliable temporary accommodation options to the predominantly transient fruit picking staff, which often has limited transport options, as affordable short term accommodation is often limited and overbooked.”
The building work is valued at $240,000.
Comments close on the planning application this Wednesday.
Meanwhile, NT Energy said it “needs somewhere to house” their workers. It was not stated how many workers are proposed to be housed.
The proposal is for three demountables to be located on the vacant block for five years.
“My client envisages that in five years the block will be developed into something which more suits its location and zone,” the consultants said.
“Although this development is not what you would see usually in a CBD, it is not on any main thoroughfares and is to have a time limit places on its existence.
“By keeping people in the CBD at a reasonable cost, local business will benefit from their patronage,” the consultants said.
The closing date for submissions on the NT Energy proposal has already closed.