Keeping Ku-ring-gai residents on top of new housing policies
Published on 24 January 2024
The NSW Government is proposing new housing policies called ‘Changes to create low and mid-rise housing’ and the ‘Transport Oriented Development Program’. If implemented, there will be extensive impacts for Ku-ring-gai.
To keep the residents of Ku-ring-gai informed of these proposed changes, a dedicated page on the Council website has been built which provides information on what the proposed changes are, what they mean for Ku-ring-gai, visual representation of what the changes may look like, a map of where the changes will have the most impact, and links to the Department of Planning and its submission portal.
Council has also established an online survey for residents to have their say on the proposed housing policies which will help form Council’s submission to the state government.
An Enews newsletter was emailed out to Council’s digital subscription list.
A four-paged information booklet has been sent out to all Ku-ring-gai residents shortly which again highlights some of the key pieces of information about the housing policies and the impacts they will have on the area. Please look in your rates notice envelope for this brochure.
Council will be holding an information session on Wednesday 31 January between 6pm - 8pm at the Council Chambers (818 Pacific Highway, Gordon).
Register for the event here.
The proposed policy changes will bring an increase in housing in the form of dual occupancies, townhouses, terraces and mid-rise apartment blocks throughout Ku-ring-gai, especially surrounding train stations, town and shopping centres.
The changes will override any existing planning controls Council has established for heritage and environment policies. It also introduces ‘non-refusal standards’ for the new planning controls by which development consent may not be refused.
Mayor Sam Ngai said Council was hoping to provide residents with as much information as possible.
“These housing policy changes will have consequences on Ku-ring-gai’s traffic, amenity, stormwater, tree canopy, biodiversity and character.”
“My concern is that with our current bottlenecks and the State Government’s proposed funding arrangements, we will not realistically be able to provide the infrastructure required for such a significant increase in housing and population.”
“Although the Department of Planning isn’t seeking public consultation on some of its new policies, Council wanted to inform its residents of what the state government is planning so they can be well informed. We’re also encouraging residents to provide their feedback to the government before its portal closes on 23 February.”
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Media enquiries: media@krg.nsw.gov.au Ku-ring-gai Council 9424 0000.