Two major policies recently exhibited by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure (DPHI) could have major implications on seniors housing, said Ethos Urban Director Daniel West.
The Weekly SOURCE stated last Tuesday that Daniel, Sally Taylor, Managing Director at Retirement by Moran; David Cowdery, General Manager Property at BaptistCare; and Simon Furness, Director Property and Housing at Uniting, have been trying vigilantly to show DPHI that senior housing is at a distinct disadvantage to other developments.
Now Daniel said the two policies exhibited: the Transport Orientated Development SEPP (TOD SEPP) and the Low- and Mid-Rise Housing Policy are a "call-to-arms moment for the industry if ever there was one".
"Should all of these policies be implemented to incentivise housing and no adjustments made to current seniors housing provisions, seniors housing will become the roadkill of the NSW planning system," Daniel said.
He stated it would mean that over the past three years the seniors housing industry in NSW will have:
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lost its ability to develop on non-urban land;
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had its planning bonus in higher density zones eclipsed by the in-fill affordable housing bonus; and
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had its housing typology and Floor Space Ratio (FSR) advantages in R2 zones evaporate to the point of disadvantage.
Daniel is advocating that the DPHI make the following adjustments:
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Increase the seniors housing bonus to at least align with the in-fill affordable housing bonus (i.e. 30% FSR and height). "Senior's housing is a form of affordable housing in itself and provides enormous social benefit – this is a no-brainer," he said.
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Ensure that the seniors housing bonus applies in addition to the FSR and height provided by the TOD SEPP.
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Reconsider the “Low Rise” component of the Low and Mid Rise Policy. An alternative could be the NSW Government requiring local government to identify and upzone appropriate R2 zoned land within 400m of heavy, metro or light rail stations (to R3 Medium Density Residential). This would mean no change to R2 zoned land outside of 400m from a heavy, metro or light rail station and would make residential flat buildings permissible in the newly rezoned R3 zones thereby switching on the seniors housing bonus.
