Mayors plea for renewable companies to build more housing

Small regional towns across NSW are facing an onslaught of thousands of temporary workers moving in to build new wind and solar farms creating concerns about where they will live.

Small regional towns across NSW are facing an onslaught of thousands of temporary workers moving in to build new wind and solar farms creating concerns about where they will live.

Mayors across the state’s renewable energy zones (REZ) are calling on the NSW government to turn proposed worker accommodation camps being set up by private renewable energy developers into longer term housing supply for the region.

Multiple towns have faced requests from dozens of multinational energy companies asking to use up housing and accommodation supply to house their temporary workers.

Mudgee, in central NSW had 20 different renewable energy developers conduct research on how many beds there were in the area’s hotels, Airbnbs and housing stock.

Small regional towns across NSW are facing a population increase of thousands of temporary workers moving in to build wind and solar farms creating concerns about where they will live. Picture: Supplied

Mid Western council general manager Brad Cam said those renewables companies had requested use of the town’s 3200 bed supply, each assuming there was enough housing supply for their workers.

“These companies don’t talk to each other and they have no idea of the cumulative impact on the region … no idea of the impact on our tourism industry” he said.

“We pushed back because we’re not going to decimate a tourism industry that we spent 10 years building.”

The Central West-Orana REZ is expecting an influx of around 6000 workers, with some towns such as Dunedoo facing a 25 per cent increase in population. As a result dozens of worker camps will need to be built across the state.

Warrumbungle Shire Council mayor Ambrose Doolan is one of many regional mayors calling on the government to ensure some of the short term housing built by renewable developers could be later turned into homes for local residents, including the possibility of more modular housing.

“If we got the blocks developed with curbs, gutters, water and sewerage access, even if the companies are using portable homes we’ll then have a serviced block once they’ve gone that we can put a house on,” he said.

Warrumbungle Shire Council mayor Ambrose Doolan is calling for some of the short term housing built by renewable developers to be turned into homes for local residents. Picture: PAUL MATHEWS

Walcha mayor Eric Noakes said he was very concerned about an expected influx of 500 people into the town of 3000. He said it was unacceptable that private developers place workers camps outside of town, using town resources without building legacy projects.

“They need to be building long term infrastructure, not just these camps on the edge of town,” he said.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the NSW government will overhaul planning guidelines around the construction of temporary worker accommodation in an attempt to prevent delays in renewable infrastructure delivery.

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the sector had been plagued with “complex and inefficient planning rules”.

“We’re in the midst of a housing crisis in the state and these resources will help councils better plan suitable and safe accommodation for workers driving economic growth in regional NSW,” he said.

Originally published as Mayors plea for renewable companies to build more housing