Changes to development laws in Corrimal have come under fire with a former Wollongong chief town planner slamming the move as a “disaster”.
The New South Wales Government’s Transport Orientated Development program, which commenced in May, applies to land within 400 metres of Corrimal railway station and allows for developments of up to 24 metres high, in a move that will hopefully provide more affordable, well-designed homes.
However, former Wollongong chief town planner and life fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia, David Winterbottom said the plan is unlikely to considerably increase housing supply and could backfire.
“It looks to me like a total disaster, creating huge uncertainties for the development industry and quite unnecessary angst for the community,” he said.
“Even if it could be made to work, I don’t think that it is going to have any significant impact on housing supply.”
Corrimal Community Action Group president, Anne Marett is not opposed to the changes, however, she believes it needs to be supported by better public transport services.
“We’re not opposed to it, but we’re saying it has got to be supported by infrastructure to make it work,” she said.
“We’ve got a station, but we’ve only got trains, mostly hourly, and the bus service is about the same or worse.”
Mrs Marett said that the Transport Orientated Development program has also led to existing residents being approached by developers.
“It has got to consider the quality of life for the people who are already residents here,” she said.
“A lot of people are getting really harassed by developers to sell their houses, because they’ve got to buy up two or three houses in a row to be able to do one of their six-story blocks.”
The Transport Orientated Development program has a two per cent mandatory affordable housing contribution for each development in the program, with provisions for it to be increased over time, according to the NSW Government.
Mrs Marett said the mandate does not provide enough affordable housing to address the housing crisis and has little faith in the significance of such a low percentage increase.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the Transport Orientated Development was going to be two per cent (affordable housing),” she said.
“That is not going to deal with the issue at all.
“To put your faith in it going up to a higher percentage is fantasy.”
Despite planning controls already being changed as part of the Transport Orientated Development program, there has been opposition in other local government areas with Ku-Ring Gai Council currently challenging the plan in the NSW Land and Environment Court.
