The Western City District Plan prepared by the Greater Sydney Commission guides the growth and development of the Fairfield local government area.
The Plan requires Council to prepare a local housing strategy that address the following:
• the delivery of five-year housing supply targets for the local government area
• the delivery of 6-10 year (when agreed) housing supply targets
• capacity to contribute to the longer term 20-year strategic housing target for the Western City District
• a local housing strategy that includes:
- creating capacity for more housing in the right locations
- supporting planning and delivery of priority growth areas and precincts as relevant to each local government area
- supporting investigation of opportunities for alignment with investment in regional and district infrastructure
- supporting the role of centres.
The Local Housing Strategy will play an important role in planning for new housing opportunities in existing residential areas that creates more liveable neighbourhoods and meets demand by responding to:
• Housing need: The projected housing need and demographic characteristics of the existing and growing community, including different cultural, socio-economic and age groups and the availability of a range of housing types, tenures and price points required across the housing continuum.
• Diversity: including a mix of types, a mix of apartments, residential aged care, adaptable and student housing, group homes, student accommodation and boarding houses.
• Market Preferences: Market demand considerations that drive the take-up of housing, including local housing preferences reflecting where people want to live.
• Alignment of Infrastructure: Opportunities to optimise transport infrastructure enabling access to jobs, health, education and recreation facilities, that align with State and local government infrastructure priorities.
• Displacement: Managing potential impacts of growth on existing communities such as displacement by understanding the location and volume of affordable rental housing stock.
• Amenity: Opportunities for place-based planning that improve amenity including recreation, the public realm, increased walkable connections to centres and local jobs.
• Efficiency: Opportunities for innovations in waste, water and energy provision by determining the nature of growth, location and demand for utilities.
• Engagement: Engaging the community on a range of options and neighbourhood priorities that can be integrated with new housing and benefit existing and future communities.
As part of the engagement process, the landowners and the community will have a say. Consultations are expected during 2019.