Hume Council criticises Liberal Leader Matthew Guy’s plan to tackle housing affordability

HERE’S what the Coalition’s bold plan to build almost 300,000 homes in Melbourne’s outer suburbs if elected means for Hume.

The Coalition will fast-track housing in outer growth areas, including Hume.

HUME doesn’t have the infrastructure to help support the Coalition’s bold plan to build almost 300,000 homes in Melbourne’s outer suburbs if elected, councillors warn.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has announced that a Liberal/Nationals Government would fast-track precinct plans in outer growth areas, including Hume.

The land would be released within two years and metropolitan precinct plans would be finished by mid-2020 as part of the Coalition’s “five-point plan” to tackle housing affordability.

COALITION HOMES IN ON GROWING SUBURBS TO TACKLE PRICE PRESSURES

HOUSE PRICES IN MELBOURNE EXPECTED TO FALL BY 10 PER CENT

Cr Naim Kurt slammed Mr Guy’s plans as a “cash grab” and argued that Hume lacked the necessary services and infrastructure required to cope with the proposed growth.

“Matthew Guy’s plan to push thousands of more dwellings into Hume isn’t about housing affordability,” Cr Kurt said.

“It’s about getting his hands on the property taxes which he can use to fund projects that will deliver no benefit to local residents.”

Cr Joseph Haweil said he felt the needs of Melbourne’s outer northern suburbs were often neglected in favour of the “leafy eastern suburbs”.

The Coalition has promised to restrict housing density in established suburbs, despite much of Victoria’s population growth centred around Melbourne.

In a recent speech to the Housing Industry Association, Mr Guy said one of the biggest ways to address housing affordability was to increase land supply.

“It’s never been harder for Victorians to own a home and there is no silver bullet to fix Victoria’s housing affordability crisis,” he said.

“But one of the biggest ways to address housing affordability is to increase land supply.

“Greater land supply will drive price competition in the growth-area land market.”

In a bid to stimulate faster land release, early last year the State Government promised to rezone 100,000 lots in growth corridors.

But red tape has limited the number coming to market.

MORE NEWS

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY A RISK TO MELBOURNE’S MOST LIVEABLE TITLE

STATE OPPOSITION PROMISES RETURN OF TWO DWELLING PER LOT LIMIT, OTHER PLANNING CHANGES IF ELECTED