Housing

We expect that over the next 20 years we will need a minimum of 41,300 extra homes to meet the needs of the growing population.

We will also need housing that provides for visitor accommodation and replacement homes for those destroyed by floods and other natural disasters.

Read objective 1 (PDF, 15.4 MB) and objective 2 (PDF, 15.4 MB) of the regional plan to learn more on our plans for housing.

Download the North Coast Regional Plan 2041 (PDF, 15.4 MB).

Planning for new housing

The regional plan includes a goal whereby 40% of new housing by 2036 will either be ‘multi-dwelling’, like apartments, town houses, villas, or small lot housing.

This will encourage a greater diversity of housing to match people’s changing lifestyle preferences. It includes housing that allows for working from home, or smaller and lower maintenance homes for older people.

The development of housing options that promote social inclusion is encouraged, including crisis accommodation and affordable living for seniors, people with disability and single households.

We will also establish housing affordability roundtables for each subregion with councils, community housing providers, State agencies and the housing development industry. The roundtables will look at measures to improve affordability and increase housing diversity.

Accommodation for visitors and seasonal workers

The North Coast’s housing market remains popular for both residential and tourist accommodation.

Any planning for housing needs to recognise that we are not only planning for future residents, but also for a burgeoning visitor economy.

We might also see temporary influxes of seasonal workers or workers associated with major infrastructure projects.

Peaks in housing demand may be satisfied through seasonal and itinerant workers’ accommodation.