Fire victims have received some comforting news today, with the NSW Government releasing an amendment to the legislation that prohibits caravans from being used to house bushfire victims.
NSW residents who have been bushfire affected can now live in a caravan for up to two years, the previous law only allowing occupation for two days:
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Clause 77 (above) outlines the use of caravans elsewhere other than in caravan parks. The clauses above outline when a caravan can be used without the prior approval of the council.
Clause b) allows caravans to be used in connection with a dwelling for a family member to stay in the long term, like a Granny Flat. This is what people have been using previously to house family members without the hassle of going through the council. If the main dwelling has burnt down, this clause does not apply anymore.
Now, clause (d) has been added which says that a caravan can be placed on any land for the purposes of accommodating a person who has been displaced because of a bushfire for up to 2 years.
This comes after a huge push from the public to overhaul the legislation after almost 2,000 homes have been destroyed by bushfire since October last year.
This amendment is an amazing result for fire victims, allowing some much-needed relief to the stresses of rebuilding.
"It's fantastic to see that common sense has prevailed in this instance. I started this company to offer affordable accommodation to all Australians, and for fire, victims having to worry about breaching legislation simply for using a caravan when trying to rebuild is ludicrous" said VanHomes CEO, Vito Russo.
VanHomes is a manufacturer of portable homes up to 60sqm in size, that can be used following the legislation above.
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The above image is an example of a 60sqm, 2 bedroom VanHome that can be set up for fire victims in hours.
"We were receiving dozens (of calls) from fire victims asking if our product would be suitable to use whilst rebuilding, and whilst it was suitable, the law was preventing us from being able to provide them. This has all changed since the amendment was released, and now we're extremely grateful to be able to help.", Mr Russo said.
This amendment is being welcomed by thousands of NSW Bushfire Victims, who can now begin the gruelling process of rebuilding that little bit easier.
Since 2008, VanHomes have been building innovative homes onto a chassis with wheels, which can be located anywhere in Australia.
As your VanHome is a legally registrable caravan, it is built to comply with caravan standards. This means your VanHome can be sited in flood-prone and fire-prone areas without needing to comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA). This is a housing solution for those looking to create a home without difficulty. Read more about us at the link below.
Are you looking for emergency housing or relocatable homes in NSW?
VanHomes are portable homes made in our factory on the Central Coast, and we deliver Australia-wide. They are a same-day granny flat - with assembly on your property in a matter of hours. With a range of sizes of up to 4 bedrooms, they make great family homes.
