Information Session: NSW Housing Reforms

A Community Information Session was held on Wednesday 3 April about the NSW Government proposal to increase housing density across the state.

Find details from the session below:

Comments by the Mayor, Zac Miles:

• Council held extraordinary meeting on 19 February 2024.
• The proposal is silent on heritage implications and the implementation of the reforms.
• The proposed SEPP is silent on heritage and conservation, tree canopy and street character. The very things Hunters Hill holds dear.
• The Mayor is engaging with other Mayors around Sydney on the matter.
• The Department was invited to this community meeting and declined the invitation.
• Proposed implementation date is unclear – “sometime in April”.

Presentation by the Director of Town Planning, Steve Kourepis:

• The proposal is to increase housing density across the state. The SEPP to be implemented this year will override Council’s planning documents.
• The proposal will be signed off by the Planning Minister of the day and will not need to be approved by Parliament.
• Unclear the impacts on heritage conservation areas and environmentally sensitive areas.
• Increasing density will put pressure on our local infrastructure including roads, schools, waste services etc
• The new SEPP will allow dual occupancy development in R2 low density zones. Land as small as 450 m² can be developed into two dwellings. Currently the minimum requirement is 700m.
• Allowable within 800m of E1 local centres:

- manor homes and multi dwelling housing with building height of 9.5 m high in R2 zoned land

- multi dwelling housing with building height of 9.5m in R2 with minimum land size of 600m²

- residential flat buildings and shop top housing up to 16m in height on R3 zoned land.

• On land zoned R3 within 400m of an area zoned E1 or MU1, residential flat buildings and shop top housing up to 21m in height allowable.
• Areas within 800m from E1, MU1 zones will incorporate almost all of the municipality.
• Most state policy exempt heritage and conservation areas from their requirements but this proposal is unclear on this.

Comments and Questions from the Community:

• Major example is Rosehill. Transport infrastructure. Hunters Hill MU1 does not really have transport infrastructure. Have we considered that? The Mayor advised that we don’t have the same major infrastructure. We don’t have a lot of information on this matter. Steve Kourepis (SK) advised that it is the MU1 centre that will be at the centre for Hunters Hill (HH) even though we don’t have train stations.
• The Mayor also advised that the 800m centre zones cross the Parramatta River and capture parts of HH from Lane Cove and Greenwich.
• What is the current density of HH and what might be an acceptable density? SK advised that HH is required to provide an additional 150 dwellings.
• Have the Housing targets been conveyed to the various LGAs? The SEPP overrides the target and anyone can construct a dual occupancy in an R2 zone and increase density all over the municipality.
• Concern for an emergency management issue – there is only one road in and out to the peninsula. Fire on the peninsula could be catastrophic – escape route is problematic and water pressure issues may be encountered. Has Council taken this major safety issue on board and will it include it in their feedback to the State Government?
• Comments relate to the NSW Department of Planning process. Immigration was over 510,000 for the year end June 23, and similar planed for the next two years. Three questions for the Department:

1. What is the state of justification for these planned immigration levels which add to pressure on housing supplies

2. Is the NSW Government rationally considering the practicalities , consequences and risks of its currently proposed Housing Density Reforms, especially the impacts and pressure on infrastructure as well as the availability and cost of tradespeople and materials.

3. Are there are any alternatives being considered by the government other than cramming more people into Sydney and Melbourne.

• What is the updated housing target as the 150 is an old target? Council is not aware and would welcome this information. Again, the SEPP will override targets.
• If Hunters Hill hit our housing target, does the LEP then override the SEPP? Council is not aware of this being the case.
• Do we have any other contacts or public servants to put pressure on/give feedback to about these reforms? Possibly, but the Minister can put this SEPP into law sometime in April. NSROC members are in agreement about the reforms and are giving feedback to the State Government.
• What is Council doing to be on the front foot with the proposed housing reforms and pre-empt some of the impacts? Committed funding to move forward with the Gladesville Masterplan process and this will be a Council led planning proposal which generally leads to better planning outcomes. There is also the LEP/DCP review which is currently moving forward. SK advised that the LEP/DCP review is still valid. Hard to comment on what overrides Council’s LEP in regards to heritage without seeing the actual legislation.
• Greatest fear is a developer buying properties next door and building multi dwellings. What will the function of Council be if state policy overrides our controls? “The outcome will be higher density whether we like it or not.”
• What is Council’s view of Gladesville Hospital site? Gladesville Hospital was shortlisted in the Local Housing Strategy and LSPS for uplift in the future. The site is owned by NSW health and the ball is in their court. This could be a reasonable alternative to the intensification of the Peninsula.
• Whether the new dwellings would be prohibited from remaining empty for long periods of time due to overseas owners?
• Council can begin to measure the impacts on the roads in Hunters Hill by assessing what they can manage now. Baseline what our roads can handle as they stand now.
• What is to stop development being proposed in our green space areas such as Clarkes Point? The Mayor responded that Council owns Clarkes Point.
• Which areas within the municipality are likely to meet the definition of town centre? Gladesville, Boronia Park, Hunters Hill Village, Garibaldi and Woolwich. Definition of town centre is any “E” zoning making Garibaldi a town centre.
• Would Council recommend back to the State Government that many of our centres don’t actually reflect true commercial centres?
• Will the reforms result in changes to minimum lot sizes in the LEP? Yes
• How many more residents can the municipality support before current infrastructure and services are overwhelmed?
• Which areas within the municipality are likely to meet the State Government's definition for town centre precinct (defined as containing an appropriate level of goods, services and amenities such as full line supermarkets)?
• How will Council ensure that decisions around housing density be consistent across the whole municipality and not just site specific? Montefiore PP has even greater proposed heights than the State Government is recommending but is located 1.2km away from a town centre which is more than the 400/800m zones.
• As a resident of Boronia Park and parent of two young school children, schools are already at capacity. Concerned with the traffic management and the rat run that people already take to avoid Victoria Road and the safety concerns for school and childcare pick-ups.
• What urban strategies has the State Government employed to formulate this blanket approach to planning, where has it worked and what is the evidence to suggest it will make housing affordable?
• Would Council consider increasing heritage conservation areas? Or changing R3 zones to R2? Or disallowing dual occupancies in R2 zones? Unfortunately, the State Government would have to sign off this kind of amendment.
• Does this SEPP completely override all planning controls? Council cannot refuse a development that meets the new State Government controls.
• Implore the Government to consider some more creative ideas on housing affordability across Sydney.
• Is it possible for Councils to unite and run a public campaign?
• Would like to see Council be more proactive and innovative about what Hunters Hill needs. Need to consider down-sizing housing potential for people so they can stay in Hunters Hill.
• How will Council facilitate further engagement with the community regarding this matter going forward?
• Could we request to have HH made exempt from the SEPP? Or at minimum, all NSW heritage conservation areas?

Agreed Motion:

“That those present at the Public Meeting of the community of Hunters Hill on the evening of 3 April 2024 call on the NSW Government to:

1. Withdraw the proposed Housing Density Reforms;
2. Engage constructively with our community and Council to deliver better planning outcomes that protect the:
   • Streetscape;
   • Heritage (both built and natural);
   • Local character; and
   • Tree canopy;
3. Consider the implications on Hunters Hill’s infrastructure, including transport services, road usage, utilities, services and other community facilities, of a potential increase in population.
4. Collaborate with any committee of Mayors representing the broad view of the people of New South Wales;
5. Commit its own resources to developing alternative solutions to address housing affordability in New South Wales; and
6. That the Minister for Planning be forwarded a copy of the feedback received from the community and promptly provide a response to Hunter’s Hill Council accordingly.”