We are pleased to see Labor reaffirming its commitment to housing reforms with concrete election promises to deliver Missing Middle housing. Canberra needs a greater diversity of housing, especially in the low-density RZ1 Suburban Zone, and we are glad to see Labor recognise the need for change to make our city more liveable, affordable and sustainable.
The accelerated approval pathway for Missing Middle homes following high-quality “pattern book” designs is very welcome. The uncertainty created by our current planning system makes it difficult for smaller developers to build the Missing Middle housing we need. A pattern book with a simple, straightforward approval pathway will make it easier for smaller developers to get building without being stuck for years in approval hell and appeals.
We are also happy to see Labor reiterate Minister Steel’s previous commitments to revitalising local shops. In particular, reforms to permit more shop top housing and mixed-use development are critical if we want to give more people access to nearby amenities and services, while also supporting small businesses.
We strongly support allowing community clubs to use housing as an option to diversify away from pokies revenue. This is an obvious way to sustain community facilities while also addressing the housing crisis.
The Missing Middle Canberra plan, endorsed by 15 organisations, makes four key recommendations for broad upzoning and simple, practical planning reforms. These announcements go a considerable way - though not all the way - towards delivering on these recommendations. However, the devil is always in the details. Other jurisdictions, such as Victoria, have shown that Missing Middle design guides and pattern books don’t always work effectively. If Labor is re-elected, we will be carefully scrutinising the implementation of these policies to ensure that Canberra doesn’t make the same mistakes.
This weekend’s announcements confirm, once again, that housing will be at the heart of the election campaign. We look forward to seeing further pro-housing, pro-density policy announcements from the Liberals, Greens and independent candidates, and we expect to see vigorous debate about how we can meet Canberra’s housing challenges as 19 October approaches.
The above statement is attributable to Andrew Donnellan, Secretary, Greater Canberra.
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About Greater Canberra
Greater Canberra is a community advocacy group committed to affordable and high-quality housing in Canberra. We believe in a future where housing is abundant, and where everyone can enjoy a more sustainable and liveable city. For more information, see https://greatercanberra.org.