The Property Council of Australia has called for clarity and consistency in low and mid-rise housing policy following the NSW Opposition’s announcement of a proposed alternate planning pathway.
Property Council NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson stated that stable, statewide planning settings were essential to maintain investment confidence and keep homes moving through the delivery pipeline.
“NSW is in a housing crisis and remains well short of the pace needed to meet its National Housing Accord target. This is not the time to add uncertainty or complexity to the planning system.
“Industry needs clear, consistent and workable rules across NSW. Any proposed changes must avoid duplicating existing processes, preserve projects already in the pipeline and maintain the focus on converting approvals into completed homes.
“We do not need to add extra layers of negotiation, assessment and delay in the planning system. What we need is to maintain momentum and certainty to deliver the homes we need. “The priority must be a planning system that provides a clear path for councils, communities and industry. Reform should remove barriers to housing delivery, not create new processes that slow decisions and undermine confidence.
“Projects that have been planned in good faith under the existing rules cannot be stranded by another policy reset. Reopening those settings risks shifting the goalposts just as landowners and developers are working to bring projects forward.
“We will continue to support practical reforms that provide certainty, encourage investment and deliver more homes, faster.”
Katie Stevenson, NSW Executive Director, Property Council
