Not only is more affordable land needed in the ACT, we need access to shovel ready land. We are still sprawling as a city, where we should be doing more sustainable infill housing in inner suburbs.
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The Land Development Agency has been promising industry for years they would have shovel ready land on the market for consumers and builders to buy and build on within weeks after purchase, as opposed to the current arrangement. Buying land off a map and waiting 18 months before you can start building doesn't make sense.
It certainly would help with extra dollars coming into the LDA coffers, but the flip side to that is it prevents some people on lower incomes from entering the market wanting to build a house and affects the overall economy and reduces jobs in the industry.
The proposal by the government to allow duel occupancies to be located on some of the Mr Fluffy blocks is a good thing. It does two things: it gives more housing choice - smaller homes with smaller yards requiring less maintenance - and it gives seniors wishing to downsize access to homes in their existing suburb.
There has been some negative feedback from the community about this proposal, that it will reduce the existing land prices in the street or suburb, but it won't.
Another comment from sectors of the community is the government is taking this option because it is a grab for cash. Why wouldn't the government opt to provide more housing choice and get some extra return on the sales to pay as much back on the loan granted by the federal government? If they didn't do this they would be accused of poor financial management.
The other feature in this new planning package is the change that will allow the land leases to be separate and remove the current requirement to have body corporate arrangements, which add a lot of extra process in administration and extra ongoing cost for the life of previous developments.
The Housing Industry Association has some concerns about the proposed planning rules and would like the rules to apply to these blocks the same as they currently do. The proposed size of dwellings will be extremely small and of little or no appeal for a couple downsizing, seeking something in their own suburb. You would need at least a study and two bedrooms for visiting family, grandchildren or guests.
These new homes could be built with no steps and eliminate trip hazards. Put some adaptable features in the design with some affordable modifications that can be made down the track, should one or both need grab rails or a shower seat fitted in the bathroom.
