The 895 square metre block on the corner of the Princes Highway and Nurrawallee Street in Ulladulla settled last week after the Lions Ulladulla District Community Foundation managed to get hold of it for just $150,000.

Foundation chairman Brian Thompson said the site had been on the market for $199,000 and had sold, but the sale had fallen through.

“We went up and offered $150,000 and they accepted it, so we’re ecstatic,” Brian said.

The local community has raised about $200,000 for the project, and $30,000 is being used to fund the land purchase, with the remainder borrowed from the Bendigo Bank.

Brian explained the remainder of the raised money was being kept to help fund demolition of a derelict home and shed on the property, and construction of a new purpose-built home specifically to cater for people with disabilities.

“The community’s been absolutely fantastic in the way they’ve responded,” Brian said.

That has extended to plans to build the home, with many organisations and individuals offering to do work for free or at heavily reduced prices.

Neil Wallace is preparing an asbestos removal plan for the site, and once the existing buildings are demolished and the site is cleared, the first job will be to prepare a brief in conjunction with the Jindelara committee to give to architect and Rotarian Emile Jansen, who has offered to design the four or five bedroom home.

Tory Puglisi has offered to supervise the construction, and a plumber has offered to do all the plumbing work for free.

“Everything is really starting to motor,” Brain said.

He is also waiting to hear on a funding application to the Lions Club International Fund, but in the meantime is asking local clubs and organisations to consider running special fundraising events to help make the disability respite home a reality.

The committee and Jindelara can provide guest speakers for any event planned.

Brian said the block’s location close to the Budawang School and the Ulladulla central business district was “absolutely perfect”.

“You couldn’t get a better location.”

Ulladulla Milton Lions Club members were on the property on Tuesday to clean it out ahead of the demolition.