How Eurobodalla Housing Strategy will address housing needs

A NSW south coast region’s urgent need for housing among rapid population growth could soon be addressed by strategies aimed at building a variety of homes. Here’s the plan.

Eurobodalla Council will vote on the draft housing strategy on Tuesday.

A strategy aimed at addressing a NSW south coast region’s urgent need for more housing, through the creation of a variety of homes, could soon be implemented after weeks of community submissions.

The draft Eurobodalla Housing Strategy outlines how the regional area can increase its housing supply through high rise apartments in built up areas and the creation of more rural housing within new subdivisions.

After 42 days of public consultation, more than 160 submissions were received from towns across the 3000km local government area.

Eurobodalla Council will vote on the strategy at its meeting on Tuesday.

Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast. Picture: Generic, file.

A majority of submissions agreed additional housing in the form of high rise apartments must be built in areas like Batemans Bay, with the report suggesting the bay CBD be recognised as a “thriving residential and commercial centre”.

Council indicated that larger buildings are needed given rapid population growth.

Residents also agreed that larger buildings needed to stay out of smaller areas, with recent backlash over proposed apartments for coastal villages like Broulee.

A majority of submissions opposed mass deforestation in regional areas like Dalmeny, noting NSW was currently losing 50 million trees a year due to developments.

However, council stated that proper research and investigations were completed before any forestry was removed to make way for buildings.

Eurobodalla mayor Mathew Hatcher previously told this publication that housing supply was one of his main priorities coming into his new term.

Eurobodalla mayor Mathew Hatcher. Picture: Tom McGann.

“In an area like our, housing is so important, because we’ve seen quite a number of people moving to the area for a sea change, downsize, retirement, whatever it may be,” he said.

“So we need the infrastructure to support this population growth.”

Mr Hatcher said the Batemans Bay CBD Masterplan was also a big part of this transformation.

The masterplan, which will soon be released for public exhibition, outlines ways in which the Batemans Bay CBD will transform with factors such as increased height limits addressed.

“We need to look at and consider what we want our town to look like and how we want our town to be in the next 20 to 50 years,” Mr Hatcher said.

“There’s a lot we’re looking at and proposing in the plan and it’s going to be important for everyone to have their say on our pretty big ideas.”

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Originally published as How Eurobodalla Housing Strategy will address housing needs