Murray River Council has endorsed the new draft Murray River Council Local Housing Strategy aimed at increasing housing stock in places like Moama.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Moama residents will have until May 16 to have a look at the draft Murray River Council Local Housing Strategy that was endorsed at last week’s monthly meeting.
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Last year there was an initial round of consultation with the community around the issues of the local housing supply.
This was then collated with recent census data and stakeholder input to create the draft strategy in consultation with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
The strategy looks at the future of land-use in the Murray River Council during the next 20 years, identifying key action that can be taken by the council to reduce the current housing crisis.
Murray River Council mayor Chris Bilkey said Moama was noted as an area that would continue to experience rapid growth during the next 20 years.
Council said by 2041 there was expected to be more than 10,200 residents living in the town — an annual growth rate of about 150 people.
“As a result of this growth, land and housing prices have risen, there has been an increase in demand and the existing land supply has diminished far quicker than experienced in previous economic cycles,” Cr Bilkey said.
One of the ways council is hoping to solve this issue is by overcoming the current “stop-start” release of land.
Council has said it plans to use land-monitoring tools to ensure there was a “more steady release of land on a yearly basis”.
“This is about setting triggers for residential land release based on agreed thresholds to ensure that we are monitoring and releasing a steady supply of land each year to strategically cater for our expected growth,” Murray River Council’s planning and environment director Rod Croft said.
The draft highlights areas within the council geographical boundaries that are residential land opportunities, as well as the proposed sequencing of land rezoning.
Murray River Council Mayor Chris Bilkey said Moama was noted as an area that would continue to experience rapid growth during the next 20 years.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Mr Croft said there was rural land that was recommended to rezone for housing “immediately”.
“This area of focus for future residential estates adds onto existing estates located to the north-west of the centre of Moama and can be efficiently provided with water and sewerage services,” Mr Croft said.
Another recommendation regarding Moama includes rezoning an area of land closer to the town centre for medium-density developments.
This would allow for the building of more apartments and townhouses.
An obstacle council has faced, is the lack of incentive for people who own rural land to actually convert into housing once it has been rezoned.
“This is because the vacant land is considered as a supply of residential land, even though the owner may have no intention of developing the land any further,” Mr Croft said.
Council said there were tools available to encourage landowners to facilitate and develop their housing estates.
According to council these tools are “required” because of the “impact” it can have on council’s ability to successfully justify to the NSW Government the need to release additional land.
Community members interested in viewing council’s draft Local Housing Strategy and providing feedback can do so via council’s Your Say site: yoursay.murrayriver.nsw.gov.au
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