Property Council welcomes common-sense changes to speed up social and affordable housing delivery

Home Media Releases Property Council welcomes common-sense changes to speed up social and affordable housing delivery

Tuesday 20 June 2023

MEDIA RELEASE

Property Council welcomes common-sense changes to speed up social and affordable housing delivery

The Property Council has welcomed the decision from the NSW Government to speed up assessments for State-owned Housing Corporations delivering new social and affordable homes through common-sense planning law changes.

Property Council’s Acting NSW Executive Director Anita Hugo said it was great to see the government taking action on speeding up the delivery of urgently needed social and affordable homes.

“The NSW Government’s announcement is another welcome common-sense change to planning rules that will help accelerate the delivery of some of the most urgently needed homes in our state,” Ms Hugo said.

“Government’s own property development agencies experience the same frustrations with the local planning system as private developers – so it’s good to see the government taking action to improve access to state approval pathways and expand self-assessment of simple projects.”

Ms Hugo said the new planning changes positively build on last week’s announcement that focused on the delivery of social and affordable housing in the private development sector offering incentives for new developments that include at least 15 per cent affordable housing.

“Industry welcomes the incentive-first approach the NSW Government is taking to these planning changes and eagerly awaits further detail on the conditions and timeframes for private development applications,” she said.

“Both these planning rule changes will place greater pressure on state approvals, so it’s critical the NSW Government resource the Department adequately to deliver timely assessment of projects.”

ENDS

Media contact: Aidan Green | 04910 300 28 | [email protected]