The NSW Government has delivered a new housing initiative aimed at cutting red tape, reducing costs and putting more homes within reach of families, young people and downsizers, but questions remain about whether the new designs meet the needs of regional communities.
Premier Chris Minns and Planning Minister Paul Scully unveiled the NSW Housing Pattern Book yesterday, a suite of architect-designed low-rise homes that can be approved and built faster and more affordably than ever before.
“For too long, too many people in NSW have been locked out of the housing market by rising costs and a system that made it too hard to build. We’re changing that,” Mr Minns said.
“This Pattern Book is about giving people more choice, faster approvals, and affordable, high-quality homes, whether you’re a young person trying to get in, a family needing more space, or a downsizer looking to stay close to the community you know.”
The initiative includes a new world-first ten-day Complying Development approval pathway, which means homes based on the designs could be approved for construction in just one week once all assessments are completed. The new approval pathway opens from 30 July.
To encourage uptake, the government is offering the designs for just $1 each for the first six months. After that, they will be available for $1,000, still a significant discount on the $20,000 or more often charged for custom architectural designs.
The NSW Government Architect has endorsed eight designs in total, including terraces, townhouses and manorhouses. Each design is intended to be flexible, sustainable and easy to construct. A complimentary landscape plan is also included with each purchase, aimed at helping new homeowners design gardens that are suited to their local climate and support biodiversity.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the new system would dramatically reduce delays.
“Much of Sydney was built on pattern books. They look great, they’re simple and cost-effective.”
“We’re accelerating these designs with their own approval pathway so those wishing to build can get an approval in one week,” he said.
However, the announcement has also attracted criticism from regional stakeholders, who say the new designs are largely unsuited to rural and regional areas.
All of the patterns are for two-storey terraces, townhouses or apartments, a form not typically in demand in country towns. There are no stand-alone homes in the eight endorsed designs. A regional version of the Pattern Book was among the key recommendations in the Housing Now report released by Business NSW in Armidale last month.
Despite these concerns, Government Architect Abbie Galvin said the Pattern Book would support greater housing diversity across NSW.
“The pattern book offers practical and sustainable designs that can be adapted to suit many neighbourhoods, positively contributing to the character of a street,” she said.
To view the NSW Housing Pattern Book, visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au/nsw-housing-pattern-book.
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