NW SYDNEY INFRASTRUCTURE CRISIS - WE KNOW, WE KNOW, WE KNOW!

MEDIA RELEASE - The Hills Shire Council

Wednesday 2 May 2012

REPORT CONFIRMS SYDNEY’S HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE CRISIS

“Stop looking for new housing land and start looking for ways to fund the infrastructure for land we already have,” Mayor of The Hills Shire, Councillor Greg Burnett, has said in response to a report identifying new land for housing outside of Sydney’s north-west and south-west growth centres.

The report by developer group Cardno is recommended by the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) and supported by Planning Minister Brad Hazzard, who agrees there had been a failure in meeting Sydney’s housing requirements.

“We are constantly hearing about how Sydney is not able to match the supply of new housing for our population increase, and how this is putting pressure on the cost,” Mayor Burnett said.

“The reality is that this new report reinforces what we have been telling Minister Hazzard all along. Build the infrastructure and new homes will be built,” he said.

“Identifying new land is not the only answer. There is no point zoning new land if there is no way to provide power, water and sewerage to this land.”

Mayor Burnett said housing targets would be met if the long-term financial strategies of the State Government agencies that deliver services to new land releases were better co-ordinated to ensure funds are available to deliver services as soon as land is released.

“When the Department of Planning releases land for new housing, like the land in North Kellyville, the other State Government agencies that deliver the water, electricity, road upgrades and sewerage for that new land must organise their funding at the same time so houses can actually be built,” he said. “Otherwise, what is the point of releasing the land at all?”

“Mr Hazzard has called Sydney’s growth centres a ‘flop’ saying they failed to take into account the lack of infrastructure – isn’t this because the State Government’s own agencies have failed to deliver on their side of the bargain?”

Mayor Burnett said the UDIA calling on the State Government to partly fund $900 million in infrastructure so 90,000 dwellings can be built only confirms that the ‘housing crisis’ is actually an ‘infrastructure crisis’.

“According the State’s own housing targets, Sydney needs approximately 25,000 new house blocks released per year. That means the Government, through Treasury, needs to release sufficient funds each year to fund the infrastructure for this target. If they are doing this – then how is the money being spent? If they are not doing this, then how are they planning to catch up with the backlog?”

“Almost 15,000 homes could be delivered right away in the north-west growth centre alone if the agencies responsible could co-ordinate to bring on the services,” Mayor Burnett said.

“What we don’t need is more land identified for housing. What we do need is to properly resource the land already zoned and released,” he said.

“New South Wales must have an agreed position on housing for the next 10 to 20 years. All government departments must understand their role in this plan, and organise around this purpose if they truly want to make New South Wales number one again.”

-ends-

Sydney Hills Business Chamber supports Hills Shire Council's cry for more infrastructure in the Sydney Hills.  the number one complaint of our members is resoundingly - give us what we deserve! More transport, better transport, include us in the initial NBN rollout!