Sustained population growth over the next twenty years is predicted to create more demand for new homes, so residents are being asked to have their say on the future of housing development in the shire.
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The NSW government forecasts that the population of Kempsey Shire is expected to grow by 5,421 by 2041 and it is estimated that this will lead to a demand for 2,790 new homes.
Kempsey Shire Council is developing a strategy to guide the delivery of diverse homes and housing developments that are:
- Affordable and well located
- Sustainably designed to be resilient to natural events
- Responsive to cultural considerations and individual household needs
- Located in areas with lifestyle opportunities that provide for complete communities
Based on expert modelling, a draft Local Housing Strategy has been prepared and is now available for public comment at www.ksc.pub/localhousing along with surveys on community priorities.
The Local Housing Strategy makes the following key recommendations to enable this growth:
- Reduce the minimum lot size from 500m2 to 400m2 within all R1 zoned land
- Allow increased housing densities in appropriate locations within Kempsey Shire, subject to certain principles
- Consider residential development within current Business zones
- Set different residential development controls for each locality
- Provide more opportunity for smaller dwellings to be delivered in Aldavilla, Euroka, Yarravel and Frederickton to allow residents to downsize whilst remaining in their local community
- No more new rural residential development areas should be identified
- Work with the Indigenous community to determine their specific cultural housing aspirations and needs
There are additional recommendations regarding affordable housing, social housing, smaller dwellings and residential aged care facilities.
A focus on South West Rocks
The NSW government has designated South West Rocks as an urban growth area due to its status as an increasing tourism and lifestyle destination in its North Coast Regional Plan.
They forecast that the area will see more than half of the shire's residential and commercial growth between now and 2041.
As such South West Rocks will need an additional 1,582 homes, which represents more than 56% of all new dwellings in Kempsey Shire.
For this reason, Council has additionally prioritised a Structure Plan for South West Rocks which will provide a clear roadmap for growth while understanding the values that the community cherish and want to sustain.
South West Rocks residents are asked to tell Council what infrastructure and regulation is needed in order to retain the village's character in the future as a key growth area by completing the surveys and giving feedback at www.ksc.pub/swrstructure
