Food service co-ordinator Aileen Saxon said she was "extremely happy" to hear the council had given the nod to a proposed 22-square-metre demountable attached to the Josephson St kitchen.

"If we didn't have this extra space it would have limited our capacity [to serve the community] in the future," Mrs Saxon said.

Having outgrown its office space, the organisation will use the demountable for meetings, with meal preparation to continue in the hall.

However, the structure has a five-year expiry date, due to the council's concerns about sea level rise.

In Lake Macquarie, new buildings must comply with Australian Height Datum standards, which are set in accordance with 1 in 100-year flood projections.

The standard height is 2.83 metres above sea level.

This structure's height is 1.73 metres above sea level, in line with the existing hall.

Council staff initially recommended the demountable be approved with a two-year time limit, but after a site inspection, councillors agreed to give it five years.

Swansea Meals on Wheels has a construction certificate to start work on the demountable within the next month.

It is expected to take four to five weeks to put in place.

PENSIONERS could fork out an extra $14 a week to have meals delivered by Meals on Wheels under the federal government’s new home care policy. The volunteer-based organisation’s fees range from $4.50 a meal to $9 across the state. In Swansea, they pay $6.50. Under the Commonwealth Home Support Program, which comes into effect on July 1, a full-rate pensioner will pay $9 plus the cost of ingredients per meal. This could set consumers back at least $13 a meal, or $91 a week. At the same time, private meal delivery service Lite n’ Easy offers seven meals for $77 a week.