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Sydney’s Growing Pains

  • September 13, 2017

Housing affordability, a planning system in need of reform and connecting new infrastructure with development are among the toughest challenges for a growing Sydney a Property Council residential forum will hear today.

The forum will hear from speakers including the Hon. Victor Dominello MP, Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Greater Sydney Commission CEO Sarah Hill and Nerida Conisbee, Chief Economist, REA Group.

Property Council NSW Executive Director Jane Fitzgerald said the forum was timely given the current debates about the causes of, and solutions for, difficult challenges like housing affordability and making sure tomorrow’s Sydney is as liveable as possible.

 “We need to meet the growing pains head on and prioritise fixing what is broken”, Ms Fitzgerald said.

“Even with the improvements the Baird government has made, the NSW planning system has a long way to go to be on par with the systems other states have.”

 “Attempting to move through the NSW planning system is like running an obstacle course – it’s tough on the industry, tough on home buyers and to the detriment of NSW.

Ms Fitzgerald said it would be important that the forthcoming District Plans, under development by the Greater Sydney Commission, helped knit the system together and make it easier to meet the demands of a growing Sydney.

Speaking at the residential forum, Greater Sydney Commission CEO Sarah Hill said that contingency plans would be put in place in the new district plans to cope with growth and with increases in population.

“The Greater Sydney Commission’s district plans are taking full consideration of the forecast increases in population – they are 20 year plans with 5, 10 and 15 year targets so that these changes will be accounted for.”

“From LEPs through to District Plans, we need to ensure growth can occur to meet the demands of a growing population.”

 

 Media contact:  William Power| M 0429 210 982 |   E [email protected]