Cessnock City Council is being urged to take bold steps to unlock more housing choices as the region continues to grow at record pace.
It comes after experts predicted the Local Government Area’s (LGA) population could increase by at least 66%, to 112,500, by 2041.
In its submission to council’s Housing Discussion Paper, the Property Council Hunter and Central Coast highlighted Cessnock’s position as one of the fastest-growing LGAs in NSW.
Regional director Nuatali Nelmes said it was a timely opportunity to reset the framework and deliver diverse homes for the entire community.
“Cessnock is booming but planning rules need to keep pace with that growth,” she stated.
“We need to create clear pathways to bring new land online for housing, enable well-located lifestyle villages, and provide more diverse and affordable housing close to town centres.
“Without these changes, too many families will continue to be locked out of the market.”
The Property Council’s submission calls for Cessnock City Council to create a clear corridor through the Urban Growth Management Plan (UGMP) to consider additional rezonings.
“The UGMP only looks 15 years ahead,” Ms Nelmes said.
“But, Cessnock’s growth will stretch decades into the future.
“Right now, the plan is too rigid.
“We need a safety valve that allows council to consider well-located land where it meets rezoning principles and delivers real community benefit – whether that’s more diverse and affordable housing, new biodiversity corridors, or quality public open space.
“This kind of flexibility will give Cessnock City the tools to respond to growth as it happens, instead of locking the community into settings that could fall short of what’s needed.”
The submission also recommends:
- Expanding housing options by allowing multi-dwelling housing and residential flat buildings near existing centres
- Supporting lifestyle villages and manufactured home estates in well-serviced locations
- Safeguarding larger lots near centres to support future diversity of housing types
- Recognising catalyst sites such as the Anambah to Branxton growth area, with capacity to deliver up to 15,000 homes over time
“This is about giving Cessnock locals the housing options they need,” Ms Nelmes said.
“Whether that’s a townhouse, an apartment, a retirement village or a family home.
“Getting the planning settings right now means we can attract investment, create jobs and deliver the housing supply that’s critical to Cessnock and to the Hunter’s prosperity moving forward.”
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