Premier Chris Minns has flagged further reforms to fix the state’s housing affordability crisis from next year, with planning experts saying it is time to tackle infrastructure.
He defended the current planning reform timeline under which more terraces, townhouses and small apartment blocks near transport hubs and town centres would be built after planning laws are changed after council elections in September. Under current market conditions, with increasing building costs, it is difficult to supply houses at a price residents are willing to pay.“More expensive levers are going to need to be pulled if we’re to ensure Sydney is a great place to live for years to come ... Unlike planning reforms, investments in infrastructure don’t come cheap, but they’re needed for Sydney to transition to being one of the world’s great high-density cities,” she said.
“Many areas slated for growth around existing centres need finer-grained planning and design so that development improves amenity for new and old residents alike. This work would show what local infrastructure is needed and how different types of development can be fitted in.” Urban Development Institute of Australia chief executive Stuart Ayres said market conditions such as interest rates and building costs would ultimately determine if apartment projects“One of the things the government can do is it can reduce the infrastructure cost to developers, it can carry more of that load,” he said.