A BOOM in the construction of medium density housing on Sydney’s prestigious upper North Shore may follow a new initiative of the NSW Government.
The state government is facilitating the development of about 500 dwellings on prime sites beside the northern railway line in Ku-ring-gai Shire at Lindfield, Gordon, Pymble and Warrawee.
It is doing this by taking over some planning controls from the shire council.
Minister for Planning Andrew Refshauge says he and not the council will be the consent authority for rezoning the sites for medium-density residential development.
The state has rejected the council’s own housing plan.
Developers have been lobbying the state for years for it to oppose the council and residents who have been resisting medium-density housing in this shire of predominantly family homes in garden suburbs.
Some developers, like Masterbuild, have been trying for years to have the council approve their development applications for villa homes and apartment blocks in the shire.
Although some councillors of Ku-ring-gai have protested against the State’s intervention, the council is offering to advise the State on rezoning and developing the sites.
Now, with the support of the state, a boom in the construction of dwellings for first-home owners throughout Sydney may quickly spread to Ku-ring-gai.
A housing boom throughout Australia in recent months has been facilitated by a funding scheme of the Federal Government for first-home buyers and by low interest rates on home loans.
Some developers are rushing to submit development applications for approval before the next state government elections. This is because the NSW Liberal Party has pledged that if it is elected to government it will repeal a policy which allows the state to approve applications which local councils have rejected.
The state government regulated to introduce the State Environment Planning Policy No 5 (SEPP5)without legislation in 1982 to facilitate the development of retirement villages. It amended to policy in 1998 to facilitate the development of separate medium-density dwellings.
Thousands of residents of Ku-ring-gai have singed petitions supporting the council and protesting against state intervention in residential planning and in the development approval process.