- Task force designed to tackle housing shortages in regional NSW
- Rezoning to deliver 18,000 new homes in Sydney's south-west
- Demand for greenfield housing higher than anticipated, according to NSW government
At an Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW (UDIA) luncheon yesterday, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Rob Stokes, announced a new regional housing task force along with rezoning that is set to deliver 18,000 new homes in Sydney’s southwest.
During the luncheon – where the UDIA launched their Greenfield Land Supply Pipeline Survey – Mr Stokes said demand for greenfield housing had been stronger than what the NSW government had originally forecast.
“It’s clear that as a result of the pandemic, demand for greenfield housing has increased even more than anticipated so we are responding with new housing in some of Sydney’s best growth areas, the south-west and the Macarthur,” Mr Stokes said.
“Housing supply is not just important in Sydney but across our regions, which are experiencing strong growth as we bounce back from drought and as more people are working flexibly and remotely.
Rob Stokes, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces
“This is why I am setting up a regional housing taskforce to report back by September on how we can better use the planning system and other levers to boost supply.”
The NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, emphasised that a new approach is needed to support those in regional areas to keep up with the level of demand.
“From Byron to Bega and Coffs Harbour to Dubbo, regional towns are booming, but in many parts of the state, planning has not kept pace with growing demand,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Regional housing markets are complex and unique, and there could be a whole range of factors driving housing constraints and we need to unpack those so we can deliver new housing opportunities for our regional communities.”
John Barilaro, Deputy Premier NSW
As part of Mr Stokes announcement, there will be approximately 7,000 new dwellings in the Greenfield Precinct, along with up to six new playing fields, 30 hectares of new accessible open space. Lowes Creek Maryland will also home 7,000 new dwellings, 2,400 for stages 2 and 5 of Leppington and Wilton Town Centre will welcome 1600 dwellings.
