Where do we want our housing?
Ad hoc approach to development will not work for Tasmania, writes Dion Lester
LOCAL government makes decisions daily that influence how local communities evolve. We do this by planning for developments via preparation of our planning schemes and by approving individual development applications. In many parts of Tasmania, councils are struggling to keep up with demand for housing and in many cases this is due to the outdated nature of our Regional Land Use Strategies.
The identification of land suitable for housing is the first step in the development process. Housing supply must be in areas where infrastructure can provide for and attract residents, with jobs, social and community infrastructure and public transport. In Tasmania there has been limited action in planning for and locating new housing supply. Planning resources at local and state government levels are limited and our efforts have been constrained by a focus on the Tasmanian Planning Scheme and red tape reduction, at the expense of the sound strategic planning we need to provide housing.
It is the Regional Land Use Strategies where the rubber hits the road for housing availability. These strategies determine when and where land should be released for our growing population. These strategies are now over 11 years old. Think back to how different Tasmania was 11 years ago — we had 30,000 fewer people and no Mona.
An update to the regional strategies will support land releases and infill development proposals to provide clarity on what our community desires and will drive any reforms needed in our regulatory system. The work needs to connect land use and transport planning. It should consider where population and housing growth should be allowed versus constrained and where it makes sense to invest in infrastructure. Solutions must be based on understanding future housing demand and supply. This takes time to do well. That is why councils are asking the government to start now. Minor amendments to the existing regional strategies to deal with specific pressure points will no longer cut it.
While we continue to tweak our regulatory system, at the expense of the work required to make a plan for achieve expectations for land use and where our growing population will be accommodated, we will continue to see Tasmanians unable to secure housing.
Local government supports the update of the regional strategies being led by state government, with appropriate
resourcing. However, it must be recognised that councils are responsible for the implementation of planning reform on the ground and local government’s understanding of the frameworks needed to build strong local character must not be overlooked. Local government can provide real value to the next stages of the state government’s planning agenda, but only if supported throughout the process. State government and councils have been implementing significant reform, the Tasmanian Planning Scheme. While much has been progressed, there is much to be done, particularly to address the housing availability crisis.
Now is the time to move from tweaking at the edges to starting the important task of planning for future housing needs. We need to commence a review of the Regional Land Use Strategies immediately, with additional resourcing at state and local level to support the process.