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Local housing strategies explained

Housing on Gibbs Street with construction in the background. Canterbury, Sydney, NSW. Credit: NSW Department of Planning and Environment / Salty Dingo
 

What’s the purpose of local housing strategies?

Good strategic planning enables councils to work with their communities, NSW government agencies and the private sector to deliver new and diverse housing in more liveable neighbourhoods.

This can include identifying opportunities to renew local centres that provide transport, services and open space, and ensuring that new communities in land-release areas are supported by infrastructure.

Local housing strategies should consider how to deliver more diverse and affordable housing, align growth with existing and future infrastructure, provide better access to jobs, services and open space, and enhance local character.

Councils can use the strategies to identify areas that are not suited to significant housing growth for reasons such as environmental factors, natural hazards or heritage value.

Local housing strategies can help councils to identify infrastructure requirements and work with NSW Government agencies to support housing supply and diversity.

The evidence councils consider when forming their strategies includes demographic trends, housing supply and demand, and local land-use opportunities and constraints. They also consult widely with their communities and other stakeholders.

Local housing strategies will provide a clear vision for housing across Greater Sydney, informing changes to each council’s local environment plan.

This can create opportunities for new homes to be developed, including affordable and diverse housing, to meet changing needs.

More information

For plans and policies promoting high-quality diverse housing, go to Housing.

To see how each of the 33 local government areas in Greater Sydney are progressing with local housing strategies go to the NSW Planning Portal's Local Housing Strategies Tracker.