Zoning policy controls what type of development can be built on a given lot, as well as the height and floor space ratio. Generally, this is set under councils’ local environmental plans, informed by long-term land use planning strategies.
On top of mass rezoning, the BCA wants states such as NSW to enforce consistent definitions for what each zone means, based on the South Australian model. “In NSW, as far as we can see, there are about 530 different planning instruments that can apply in this regard,” Black said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has trumpeted his government’s planning reforms as the largest rezoning in NSW history. Black credited Labor with taking “positive steps forward”, but said there was clearly more to do.
“We’re coming off a reasonably low base. In order for us to deliver on our national targets … that translates to nine homes per 1000 people delivered each and every year. In NSW at the moment, we’re sitting at five, and the national average is six.”
Black conceded the expense of construction materials, and labour shortages, meant it would be difficult to build that many homes, even if more land was rezoned, but all steps had to be taken.
Planning Minister Paul Scully was contacted for comment on the BCA proposals. At an event last week, Scully said it was the government’s job to balance the demands of communities, developers and councils, which it was doing with its rezoning of eight “accelerated precincts” near train and metro stations, which would be finalised soon.
“Everyone needs to understand that they need to give a little to gain a lot,” Scully said.
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Rick Graf, development director at apartment builder Billbergia, said, given the state’s housing targets required NSW to build twice as many homes as it does, “we ought to be doing housing everywhere we can, to the maximum extent that we can, for as long as we can”. He said every transport-oriented development suburb should be closer to 30 storeys, not six.
“It should be as much as the infrastructure around it will permit. But in most cases, if that’s not there, enabling a TOD of that density will produce the funding necessary to deliver it,” Graf said.
“So it’s a virtuous circle. You get more people, you get more contributions, you’re able to provide more infrastructure.”
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