At a time when developers, tradespeople and homeowners on the Central Coast have been frustrated by the delays in Development Approvals and Construction Certificates, the announcement by Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts of a Regional Housing Flying Squad to help regional councils clear development approvals faster, couldn’t have come at a better time according to Caine King, Chapter Chair of UDIA Central Coast.
Throughout the Central Coast, demand for housing and employment land has increased to unprecedented levels in recent years. The long wait lists for any new housing have been compounded by strong enquiry and overflowing workloads in the industry and at Council.
In response to high demand over the past two years, developers have sought to increase production where possible, bringing forward planned stages to deliver more dwellings or employment land to the market sooner. Unfortunately, Council has faced a ‘triple whammy’ of a financial collapse resulting in resource issues, IT challenges and then COVID impacts at a time when the demand for housing and employment land on the Coast is extremely strong. This has resulted in a back log of DA’s and approval times slowing.
As a result, the Central Coast is falling behind on meeting its supply needs as judged by market indicators of demand. Residential vacancy rates are at less than 1% compared to Greater Sydney at 1.7%. House value growth and rental price growth have risen higher than Greater Sydney as well.
The commitment by the NSW Government to help Council staff with their heavy workload is very much welcomed.
UDIA is also encouraged that the recommendations put forward in our submission to the Regional Housing Taskforce have been taken on board resulting in the formation of the Regional Housing Flying Squad.
“We hope that Central Coast Council can benefit from this support which should alleviate some of the backlog and get the construction industry back on the tools to get houses built
This is such a positive announcement at a time when Central Coast has once again been buffeted by yet another crisis in the shape of storms and floods,“ said Mr King.
ENDS
For more information please contact Deanna Lane, Media & Communications Manager UDIA NSW
on 0416 295 898 or dlane@udiansw.com.au