Social Housing Renewal Proposals Important For Housing Diversity

The Communities Plus program by the NSW Government to renew and diversify a number of social housing estates is a good move, says the Urban Taskforce.

“Many of the NSW Government’s social housing estates are quite old and in need of renewal,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. “The approach of increasing densities on a number of these sites allows a mix of social, affordable and private housing to be developed.

“The Government’s proposal to achieve mixed housing at the Ivanhoe Estate at Macquarie Park is being extended to estates at Gosford, Newcastle, Tweed Heads, Seven Hills, Telopea and Liverpool. The Urban Taskforce supports this trend to use government land to provide new social housing through private sector investment in affordable and private housing.

“The Government’s approach of briefing the private sector on development opportunities ensures that firm proposals for renewal are based on a detailed understanding of the issues. The most important issue from developers will be that there is sufficient private housing potential on the sites to enable a reasonable quantum of affordable and social housing to be supported.

“The biggest renewal opportunity for social housing will be the Redfern Waterloo Estate particularly if a new metro station is located in the precinct. The Urban Taskforce looks forward to this significant precinct being opened up to private sector proposals."