The Greater Cities Commission released a discussion paper on a Six Cities Region which is comprised of:
- Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle City
- Central Coast City
- Illawarra Shoalhaven City
- Western Parkland City
- Central River City
- Eastern Harbour City.
This follows the Greater Sydney Region plan, A Metropolis of Three Cities which included:
- Western Parkland City
- Central River City
- Eastern Harbour City.
The Three Cities were comprised of 6 districts:
- Central City
- Eastern City
- North District
- South District
- Western City
- Eastern City.
The rest of NSW was divided into 9 planning regions:
- Central Coast
- Central West and Orana
- Hunter
- Illawarra Shoalhaven
- New England North West
- North Coast
- Riverina Murray
- South and East Tablelands
- Far West NSW.
The Six Cities Region discussion paper states that:
“Housing is repeatedly identified by the community as one of the most significant issues facing Greater Sydney. It is also a priority across regional NSW, with Infrastructure Australia recently identifying the ‘availability, diversity and affordability of housing’ as the primary infrastructure gap in regional areas.”
In addition, the discussion paper states that:
“The Commission will work with local councils, state and federal agencies and industry to improve delivery of affordable housing, including new financing mechanisms, with a 10 per cent affordable housing target for new rezonings where there will be a housing uplift.” Further, that “The City Plans will set a target of up to 30 per cent for the proportion of social and affordable housing in residential developments on government land.”
As local government prepare or update local housing strategies to consider and respond to the needs of their communities, including for affordable housing, DCJ has prepared district and regional housing snapshots, designed to assist. DCJ has developed an overview, as well as a more detailed examination of housing demand, the housing market, housing supply and the gap for each district or region with a particular emphasis on affordable housing and the needs of lower and moderate income households.
These housing snapshots will also be useful for community housing providers, other non-government organisations, planners and others, to help understand local housing need.
The housing snapshots provide information on housing need by district and region as well as by local government area.