Elmstone Property Group director Stuart Benjamin said Ferguson Perry of Horsham would handle all survey design, while a "local builder" would be appointed "within the next few weeks" for the project.

"We always use local contractors anywhere we work across the state," he said.

"It's been really refreshing in Horsham to get the support we've received from contractors. In particular, getting them reaching out, wanting to get a quote and wanting to get involved.

READ MORE: Planning permit approved for $4.85m project

"We've had to ask them to be patient and let it go through the Council process before we can do that."

Mr Benjamin said the builder appointed for the project would be taking on new staff to manage the project.

"If we use the economic modelling tools the Victorian government uses, there will be about 100 jobs created while the project is under construction," he said.

"That will be for about seven to eight months."

The 35 single-bedroom dwelling project has been in the pipeline for roughly three years.

"We were able to acquire this particular site in Alexander Avenue about six months ago," Mr Benjamin said.

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"We've been working with the Council and our designers since then.

"Horsham is a community that wants to grow and needs to grow and we're excited to be playing a small part."

At Monday's council meeting, Mayor Robyn Guilline spoke about research that identified a lot of Horsham people wanting to downsize out of their larger homes and blocks.

Mr Benjamin said it presented an opportunity.

"Horsham has the most stressed housing market in the Wimmera and we've been looking at the data for three years and trying to come up with a project to help satisfy that incredible demand, particularly for a smaller product," he said.

"We're developing some product that allows some people to downsize, that then frees up these larger properties that can attract families into the region."

Mr Benjamin said the company had worked with many different councils, and that a "tremendous" amount of work goes into applications.

"This is not only from ourselves, but from consultants and council officers," he said.

"There were nearly 50 pages in the documentation in the council agenda for Monday's meeting that was developed by Horsham Rural City Council officers.

"It was refreshing to see most of the Councillors had read the paperwork.

"In fact, most had taken time to go and look at the site and talk to local members of the community before making their decision.

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"It's particularly difficult for new Councillors to balance the need of the broader residential and business community with any objectors - who often have very loud voices and are very passionate."

Mr Benjamin said due to COVID-restrictions, it had been difficult to conduct detailed briefings to the council with details of the project.

"It was evident at the meeting because there was a couple of concerns raised by Councillors that had already been addressed by us, or council officers in the report, and I think if we weren't in a COVID-19 environment we might have been able to answer those questions before the meeting," he said.

"We were disappointed to see an amendment added to the application and that amendment was to provide some kind of traffic calming measures in Alexander Avenue.

"There were only a couple of objectors who live in Alexander Avenue and when we met with them, we were surprised that traffic was a major problem in the area.

"We hadn't seen any evidence of that.

"Unfortunately any traffic calming measures, such as speed bumps, will impact the 100s of people who live in that Oaklands precinct who don't believe there is a major traffic problem at the moment.

"That was the decision that was made and we'll work with the council to achieve that."

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