General News
13 June, 2026
Ambitious timeline for Stawell estate
A developer promising to build rather than bank land says work on a major new Stawell housing estate could begin quickly, with the first homes targeted before the end of next year and between $25 million and $30 million in investment already secured.
E2E Growth Consultants, led by Ashu and Rajat Goel, recently secured Northern Grampians Shire Council’s eight-hectare Sloane Street site beside the Sherridon Homes estate in Stawell’s south.
For a town grappling with a severe housing shortage, the company’s message is simple: it has no intention of sitting on the land.
“We clearly said in the proposal that we are not land bankers,” Ashu Goel said.
“We had a vision and a clear plan for how we were going to develop the land.”
Council has previously described Stawell’s rental vacancy rate as close to zero, with local workers often forced to live elsewhere because they cannot find housing in town.
The shortage has become a recurring concern for local employers, with housing availability frequently cited as a barrier to attracting workers to the town.
Ashu said E2E had secured between $25 million and $30 million in investment for the Sloane Street project and moved quickly after acquiring the site.
Within a week, the company had prepared an initial subdivision plan and met with council’s engineering, planning and strategic teams.
The company hopes to lodge a planning permit application by July, with engineering work completed by the time the land settles later this year.
“We expect to start civil works in February,” Ashu said.
Rajat Goel said the company’s minimum target was 10 completed homes by the end of next year.
The project is expected to deliver an 80 to 90-lot subdivision, with a mix of owner-occupier homes, investment properties and house-and-land packages.
Ashu said the development would focus on quality housing rather than simply maximising lot numbers.
“We are looking to attract investment from Melbourne and interstate, but we are also looking to create really nice quality owner-occupied houses,” he said.
The developers say the estate will feature a mix of weatherboard, brick and Hebel homes, with significant landscaping aimed at creating a welcoming neighbourhood feel.
Most blocks are expected to be about 600 square metres, although larger lots and a small number of compact lots are also planned.
Rajat said around 10 blocks would be about 300 square metres, catering for buyers seeking a lower-maintenance lifestyle.
“We want to cater to every age bracket,” he said.
“People who want a backyard have that option. Some people don’t want that, so we’ve got smaller sizes for them as well.”
The Goels say their track record shows they can move quickly.
E2E has built more than 60 homes across the Ararat region during the past five years, including social and affordable housing, units and house-and-land packages.
Ashu pointed to a site in McNeill Street, Ararat, where the company had nine homes completed within eight months of settlement.
“That’s what Rajat and I take a lot of pride in,” he said.
“We don’t just sit and do nothing and wait for the clock to tick.
“We actually take action and do something about it.”
Ashu said the biggest challenge facing regional housing developments remained the high cost of civil works and infrastructure.
“By the time you do the development and build houses, the end product sometimes isn’t even worth it,” he said.
“The developer is taking a lot of risk, and that’s probably one of the main reasons why regional Victoria is struggling for housing.”
Even so, he said the company remained committed to proceeding with the development.
“If we get some level of support just for enabling infrastructure, we plan in the next three to four years to have about 50-odd houses,” he said.
“Otherwise, it just gets slow, because you need a lot of cash flow to do something.”
Northern Grampians Shire chief executive Brent McAlister said last month that council’s decision to sell the land was about more than achieving the highest price.
“The money side of things was important, but so was selling it to someone who wasn’t just going to sit on it and do nothing,” Mr McAlister said.
“They sell houses and land together. It’s not just land — they actually build these houses.”
Mr McAlister said increasing housing supply would help Stawell retain workers, families and economic activity.
“We’re giving people a chance to not just work here, but also live here, spend here and join sporting clubs,” he said.
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