Now is the time to build confidence in apartment living, not undermine it

The NSW Productivity Commission’s has recently released a report regarding housing supply challenges and options for the NSW Goverment. While covering a great many issues we were pleased to see an emphatic recognition of the value of social housing and strongly support its calls for prioritising sustained public investment in it. This is the big sure bet that NSW can make. It recognises the point made by many, including this article by Dr Marcus Spillar of SGS Economics & Planning that the virtual withdrawal of Commonwealth and State Governments from public housing construction has locked in acute housing unaffordability and precarity for low-income people. The only way out is to get back in. 

We also noted the Commission’s call for limiting the short-term rental market, a core part of our advocacy for a fairer private rental market. But we are concerned, along with our friends and allies at the Committee for Sydney and at the Institute of Architects about the recommendation to reduce requirements for solar access and the reduction of minimum apartment sizes. These are currently set out in the Apartment Design Guide. We understand that these specific recommendations are currently being considered by the NSW Government.

An article further down reminds us about the last time the private market switched on the supply of apartments… and left design choices to investors and property developers… 

For more information:  James Martin Institute for Public Policy –Policy Insights paper: Planning-for-the-inclusion-of-families-with-children-in-apartments SMH 9 October 2024, Julie Power A-future-of-dead-plants-pitch-to-scrap-unit-sunlight-standards-criticised