South coast housing crisis: 100 new homes planned for Eurobodalla as Property Council demands action

A proposed subdivision could see almost 100 new homes on the south coast as the Property Council of Australia calls on local councils to do more to ease the housing crisis.

There are hopes a proposed south coast subdivision will help ease the region’s housing crisis, as calls grow louder for local councils to help residents “continually pushed out of the market”.

Plans to turn vacant land at Turnbulls Lane in Moruya into a new housing estate are moving ahead, with the decision on what’s next now in the hands of Eurobodalla Shire Council.

The proposed housing development sits next to existing residential housing, and includes almost 100 new low-density “urban living” lots to “provide the housing needs of the community”.

Original plans included 94 housing lots, but a report to the council now outlines a 96 lot residential subdivision. A 97th lot will house a sewer pump station.

New 96 lot subdivision planned for Moruya. Picture: Eurobodalla Shire Council

Sitting around three kilometres from the Moruya’s CBD, public submissions on the development application closed last week, with a planned Crown road closure unable to go ahead after “protracted” negotiations.

Housing lots range from 600sq m to 2.5ha, with the average block size in the northern section about 750sq m.

Developers said the subdivision would create employment opportunities in the region, and was designed “to protect the biodiversity” and indigenous Bugelli-manji heritage of the area.

A sacred tree, identified in the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage assessment report, will be left in place.

“A minimum 10-metre buffer around the tree should be put in place,” a consultant’s report before the council states.

In a report to the council, consultants say the development meets multiple aims of the council’s housing strategy which includes managing biodiversity, urban growth and protecting Aboriginal heritage.

“It encourages ecologically sustainable development and quality urban design which encourages walking and cycling via the extensive existing and proposed footpath/cycleway network. It will enhance the existing residential neighbourhood amenity while providing suitable land for housing.”

A report on the development’s future is expected to come back before the council by the end of the year.

It comes as the Property Council of Australia’s Illawarra dDirector Michelle Guido this week urged south coast councils to do more to help ease the crisis.

“Councils are opening up land so that developers can increase supply, however the supply issue goes beyond rezoning land for residential development,” she said.

“Councils need to ensure their internal processes enable efficient assessment of development applications so as not to hamper the delivery of land subdivisions.”

Ms Guido said councils could help ease the cost of new homes as prices on the south coast skyrocket.

“Councils charge developers for the cost of future infrastructure and these costs are passed on to the homebuyer,” she said.

Property Council of Australia’s Illawarra director Michelle Guido (right) and Wollongong Deputy Mayor Tanya Brown. Picture: Twitter

“We also encourage council to continue working with the development industry and Community Housing Organisations on increasing the supply of affordable housing on council owned and state government owned land.

“These partnerships are key to delivering more affordable rental housing stock for our local communities.”

She said the availability of rental homes on the south coast was drying up, and the flow on effects will impact entire communities.

“In an open market, investors who supply rental product to the market are competing with owner occupiers to purchase properties,” she said.

“As supply drops and prices increase, rental returns fall. Rental properties are purchased by owner occupiers so the supply of rentals further reduces.

“The reduction in availability and affordability of rental properties in regional areas is impacting the ability to find housing for workers in child care, health care, hospitality, agriculture, and many other middle income employment sectors.

“When the lack of rental housing leads to a shortage of key workers, regional economies are impacted and Councils need to consider this in their housing strategies.

The subdivision planned for Moruya could see almost 100 new homes built. Picture: Eurobodalla Shire Council

She said councils should offer greater incentives for developers to provide affordable housing.

“One way for councils to distinguish between owner occupiers and renters is to provide incentives for developers to deliver affordable rental housing (also called key worker housing) that must be managed by a community housing provider and remain as rental housing for at least 10 years,” she said.

“Incentives for developers to include affordable rental housing in their projects can include concessions on parking, building heights and floor space ratios.

“There have also been examples of regional councils making their own surplus land available for development of affordable rental housing through collaboration with Community Housing Providers, like the relationship between Shoalhaven Council and Southern Cross Housing.”

Originally published as South coast housing crisis: 100 new homes planned for Eurobodalla as Property Council demands action