Mid West Development Commission’s Post

Last week, the NSW Productivity and Equality Commission (PEC) released their 'Review of Housing Supply Challenges and Policy Options for New South Wales' report, addressing the critical housing supply shortage in New South Wales. It proposes a comprehensive plan to overcome barriers that hinder housing development and offers recommendations for boosting productivity and equality in the housing market. The report highlights current challenges, such as the construction sector's capacity issues, high costs, and economic feasibility concerns, and provides policy suggestions aimed at increasing housing supply quickly and sustainably. We support the implementation of the recommendations in the report, but believe it stops short of addressing some of the critical elements required for the delivery of housing. Chairman Gary Prattley, and Chief Planner, Gary White have identified a few gaps which Government must urgently consider to ensure housing (and job) targets are met. You can download our discussion paper here: https://lnkd.in/gzjW-Dn3

32 new recommendations that could boost the NSW Government’s efforts to address the housing crisis have been detailed in a report by the NSW Productivity and Equality Commission. The Review of housing supply challenges and policy options for New South Wales was recently presented to the Government. The Commission found the cost of building homes has soared since 2018 and that residential construction has been hit by national challenges including higher interest rates and a shortage of skilled trades.   The recommendations are: Ø Free up construction capacity to build more homes Ø Streamline the development process Ø Bring more people into the construction sector Ø Ensure a diverse and equitable supply of new homes. The Review follows research published by the Commission in its housing series that explored the issues and options to address the current housing crisis. To read the report: https://lnkd.in/gUMs_CEt

📰Councillors from Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon District Councils will meet on Thursday 12 December to consider the recommendation for a Preferred Options consultation on the South Warwickshire Local Plan 📅 🤝If agreed, residents, businesses and other stakeholders will be invited to have their say on this next stage of the new Local Plan in a consultation that would commence early in the New Year. 🗺️The Plan will cover the combined geographic area of both Councils for the next 25 years. Once adopted the Plan will set out how both Councils ensure delivery of the infrastructure, open spaces, employment sites and homes to meet our needs up to 2050. Read more 👉 https://ow.ly/g3BN50UeFR5

In the last week Labour has shot out of the gates with pace and vigour that's shaping up to be a welcome breath of fresh air across the nation. But, with the always politicised nature of planning and local opposition, delivery will be challenging when it comes to its pledge for swift new town development. An ambitious goal that requires significant cross-party collaboration. The private sector's housebuilding enthusiasm needs to be married with policy stability and better public-private partnerships. So, Labour's support for council-led affordable homes will be key in achieving the target of 300,000 homes a year. While reinstating green belt reviews and housebuilding targets are foundational steps forward, substantial funding for local planning authorities is essential, and will have a critical impact on Labour's economic growth strategy. How can we ensure that these ambitious plans translate into tangible results for communities across the country? Drop us a comment with your thoughts. ⬇ #labour #government #planning #housing

Building Connections: A Successful Meet the Contractor Event 👷♂️ We recently had the pleasure of attending the Meet the Contractor event hosted by Monmouthshire Housing Association. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with #LocalCommunity stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and Community groups; setting the foundations of good working relationships between all parties. During the event, we discussed the upcoming project in the area and outlined the scope of work. We shared insights into how Harper Group will contribute to the local community of #Undy by: 🏘 Delivering high-quality, affordable homes: Our focus is on providing much-needed housing that meets the needs of local residents. 👷♀️ Creating local jobs: We are committed to supporting #LocalBusinesses and creating #employment opportunities for the community. 🏗 Improving local infrastructure: Our developments will enhance the local infrastructure, including roads, utilities, and green spaces. ❌ Minimising disruption: We will be working closely with the community to minimise disruption during the construction process. We are excited to be part of this development and look forward to working with local stakeholders to deliver a successful project. #MeetTheContractor #MonmouthshireHousing #CommunityEngagement #AffordableHousing

The New South Wales Government will make changes to planning controls to allow more housing to be used as crisis and temporary accommodation. Organisations, providers and government agencies which manage social and affordable housing will be able to use certain homes as temporary accommodation without needing a development application, or DA, to change the existing land use. This means vacant buildings could be repurposed for temporary or crisis accommodation more quickly, rather than remaining vacant before the sites are repurposed or redeveloped. For more information, go to https://ow.ly/G1zC50Usbri. #AlburyCityCouncil #ArmidaleRegionalCouncil #BathurstRegionalCouncil #BrokenHillCityCouncil #CityofCoffsHarbour #DubboRegionalCouncil #GoulburnMulwareeCouncil #GriffithCityCouncil #LismoreCityCouncil #MaitlandCityCouncil #OrangeCityCouncil-WiradjuriCountry #Queanbeyan-PalerangRegionalCouncil #TamworthRegionalCouncil #TweedShireCouncil #CityofWaggaWagga

Bedford Local Plan restart - while the proposed reduction in the SM might assist the Council a bit the challenge will remain devising a strategy that is supported by infrastructure and is deliverable in the short to medium term. This would suggest a strategy consisting of a mix of strategic medium and smaller scale sites over a wider geographical spread.

Get Britain Building Again: Transforming Town Planning with Labour's Vision Labour's ambitious plans to tackle the UK's housing crisis head-on by delivering 1.5 million new homes over five years – that's 300,000 homes per year! Here's how they plan to achieve this and reshape the planning system: Key Highlights: * Reforming Planning Laws: The manifesto promises reforms to accelerate the planning process, unblock gridlocks, and support new homes, transport, clean energy, and industries. * Housing on “Grey Belt” land. * Affordable Housing: Focus on building homes that local people can afford, alongside new infrastructure and improved green spaces. * Brownfield First: Emphasis on developing brownfield land before considering greenbelt sites, ensuring efficient use of land. * Prioritizing Natural Spaces: While protecting green spaces, Labour aims to free up grey belt land, including underutilized areas like car parks and wastelands, for development. * A new era of New Towns Potential Changes to the Planning System: Labour's plan to use previously developed Green Belt land requires an immediate fix, revising the current policy constraints. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) allows partial or complete redevelopment of such land, but with strict conditions to maintain openness. What Needs to Change: * Policy Revision: Change the NPPF to allow development on greenbelt sites, such as car parks, without stringent volume/openness constraints could unlock more housing potential. * Strategic Leadership: Reinstate the requirement to ensure local plans are up-to-date with clear housing targets based on strategic needs analysis. By updating these policies, Labour aims to streamline the planning system, making it more responsive and effective in meeting the nation's housing needs. Why It Matters: This vision promises not only to address the housing shortage but also to enhance public green spaces with new woodlands, parks, and playing fields, making communities more livable and sustainable. #GetBritainBuildingAgain creating vibrant, affordable, and sustainable communities for all. #HousingCrisis #UrbanDevelopment #SustainableLiving #TownPlanning #LabourManifesto #GreenBelt #BrownfieldDevelopment

The McKell Institute has united Unions NSW and Business NSW behind a 7-point plan to accelerate the delivery of essential worker housing in Sydney and across NSW. Our plan, which has been tabled to the Essential Worker Housing Inquiry in the NSW Parliament, includes an innovative new idea to leverage latent, unused Crown Land to build affordable homes for those who need it most, and is covered in today's The Sydney Morning Herald. The proposal, which has the support of the 'unlikely alliance' of the state's union and business peaks, would leverage long-term ground leasing and efficiencies through scaled construction and investment to drive down housing costs. Thanks to Unions NSW and your affiliates, as well as Business NSW, for seeking common ground on this critical issue. https://lnkd.in/gdb4pZZM

The New South Wales Government will make changes to planning controls to allow more housing to be used as crisis and temporary accommodation. Organisations, providers and government agencies which manage social and affordable housing will be able to use certain homes as temporary accommodation without needing a development application, or DA, to change the existing land use. This means vacant buildings could be repurposed for temporary or crisis accommodation more quickly, rather than remaining vacant before the sites are repurposed or redeveloped. For more information, go to https://ow.ly/SZO150Usbrh. #AlburyCityCouncil #ArmidaleRegionalCouncil #BallaratCouncil #BrokenHillCityCouncil #CityofBusselton-LocalGovernment #CityofGreaterGeraldton #CityofKalgoorlie-Boulder #CityofKarratha #CityofPalmerston #CityofWaggaWagga #FraserCoastRegionalCouncil #DubboRegionalCouncil #GoulburnMulwareeCouncil #CityofGreaterGeelong #GriffithCityCouncil #LatrobeCityCouncil #ShireofBroome #TownofPortHedland #CityofPortLincolnCouncil