The announcement today by Minister Stokes of the launch by the NSW Government of two online platforms – the Greater Sydney Urban Development Program and the Housing Evidence Centre websites – was warmly welcomed by UDIA NSW and its members.

“UDIA NSW congratulates the NSW Government on the launch of both online platforms as in doing so, it has taken some important steps forward to better support planning and investment in NSW and improve the productivity of our industry.” said Steve Mann, CEO UDIA NSW.

UDIA has long advocated for the need for a better, more strategic approach to the planning and delivery of enabling infrastructure, to ensure we have a robust development ready pipeline in NSW.

The next step with the UDP data, is to develop further digital tools and collaboration with industry to deliver a next generation UDP process. This would represent a ‘one-source-of truth’ to inform the INSW infrastructure priority process to plan for forward residential and employment development supply locations, yields and timing for the delivery of the requisite enabling infrastructure.

DPIE and Treasury are still relying on asking the delivery agencies to consider their request, so we believe the way forward is an Interdepartmental Committee reviewing UDP rapid business cases to make recommendations to cabinet for prioritising infrastructure around housing supply.

UDIA’s Greenfield Land Supply Pipeline Report (May 2021) showed that land supply in the Sydney Megaregion is forecast to be 25,600 lots short of the demand identified in the NSW Intergeneration Report and two thirds of that supply forecast has a missing piece in enabling infrastructure still to be delivered. Given the housing supply and affordability crisis in NSW, we believe the UDP process needs to be a crucial focus for government to improve housing supply and affordability.

“The significant benefits of a digital Urban Development Program (UDP) is something we strongly believed in, having invested in two UDIA pilot studies to prove the effectiveness of such technology partnering with DPIE, councils, trunk infrastructure providers and industry to demonstrate solutions.” Mr. Mann added.

ENDS

Media Enquiries:
Deanna Lane 0416 295 898 or dlane@udiansw.com.au.
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