Data from the NSW Planning Department shows that of the 306,460 new homes built in Greater Sydney over the past decade,64,830 dwellings were in greenfield growth areas (21 per cent) and 241,630 were homes in infill areas (79 per cent).
The state government is also looking to the regions for a solution,identifying as many as 90,000 homes – including holiday houses,short-term rentals and vacant properties – that could be lured onto the long-term rental market.
The state government has been considering tightening caps on short-term rentals,such as in Byron Bay which has the highest number of Airbnb and Stayz properties in NSW,the latest figures showing there are 42,978 short-term rentals registered across the state.
In the Byron local government area,25 per cent of housing stock is short-term accommodation,followed by Waverley in Sydney’s east,where 15 per cent of stock is short-term rentals.
According to Andrew Taylor’s story in today’sSun-Herald,tourist towns on the east coast are being leaned on to shoulder some of the burden of new housing stock.
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Developers and the state government argue these towns could benefit from the new homes because it would help them attract retail workers.
The Rise Projects’ proposed development in South West Rocks would see 280 apartments built in nine buildings of up to six storeys.
The $127 million project would sit in the sleepy town of only 5000 people and – combined with other projects – would add an estimated 1000 new homes to the community.
Dozens of community groups have joined to form the Coastal Residents United alliance to fight these types of developments in holiday towns from Kingscliff in northern NSW to Culburra and Tuross on the South Coast.
These communities have a point. It would not be fair,ecologically sound or effective at reducing the housing crisis to overburden small towns with new homes.
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However,while locals such as Kempsey Shire mayor Leo Hauville are concerned about the “uncontrolled changes in character of coastal towns”,some change will be inevitable.
The solution to the housing crisis will not come from one source,but likely from a range of tools.
Greater density in Sydney will likely work in conjunction with greenfield developments built alongside effective infrastructure. Encouraging homes back onto the long-term rental market in small towns will likely work alongside increasing supply in these towns as well. Solutions to these problems are rarely a zero-sum game.
We need our leaders – including politicians,councils and planning authorities – to thread the needle and balance the interests of everyone in the state. Otherwise,the housing crisis will only get worse.
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