Retirement Villages Amendment (Operator Obligations) Regulation 2022
Last month, the New South Wales (NSW) Government tabled the Retirement Villages Amendment (Operator Obligations) Regulation 2022 (the Regulation) in both Houses.
The object of this Regulation is to amend the Retirement Villages Regulation 2017 to compel operators of retirement villages to provide information about retirement villages to the Government, while also enabling government to publish information about retirement villages on the Department of Customer Service website.Information will include contact details for the retirement village and operator; Residents’ committee details; Number of units; Residency type; Complaints handling processes; Contract types and pricing; Demographic information on residents and staff; and Management and operation details.
A digital portal is being developed to assist with data collection. The Regulation will come into force on 1 September 2022.
The Property Council, with support from members of the NSW RLC committee, was successful in achieving significant concessions from the Government regarding development costs for the digital portal, as well as more realistic implementation timeframes.
You can access a copy of the Regulation here.
If you want more information, please contact Charles Kekovich on 0409 776 588.
State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (Housing SEPP)
Earlier this month, the New South Wales (NSW) Government committed itself to making further amendments to the Housing SEPP which could relieve housing pressure on affordable, seniors and build-to-rent housing space.
While recent amendments included red-tape reductions for build-to-rent, floorspace, seniors living and self-assessment pathways for the Aboriginal Housing Office, the Property Council has worked with the Government to advance several substantive amendments to the SEPP since its introduction to increase consumer choice, optimise industry benefit and reduce adverse impacts.
This includes:
- Expanding the area where infill affordable housing bonuses apply from business and mixed-use zones in the regions;
- Extending the infill affordable housing floorspace bonuses to shop-top housing;
- Removing the requirement for build-to-rent housing in B3 commercial zones to be readily convertible to another use;
- Lowering the State Significant Development threshold for build-to-rent housing from $100 million to $ million in Greater Sydney and $30 million elsewhere;
- Simplifying the minimum lot standards for co-living housing;
- Creating a self-assessment pathway for the Aboriginal Housing Office to self-assess developments of up to 60 homes, and
- Allowing all seniors living, including independent living unit developments, in R2 Low Density Residential zones.
Unfortunately, the NSW Government extended the heritage conservation area exclusion from seniors housing provisions until 31 December 2023. This means the Property Council must continue to work with Government to create viable alternative solutions for operators who want to develop more affordable and accessible senior housing options in heritage conservation areas.
If you want more information, please contact Charles Kekovich on 0409 776 588.