Help Inform Our Future Growth (20 June 2020)

Coffs Harbour City Council is currently revising and updating its Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) for the Coffs Harbour local government area (LGA). This will allow Council to achieve the community’s aspirations for Coffs Harbour as it grows into a regional city, while protecting valuable environmental and agricultural land, as well as neighbourhood character.

The revised Strategy consists of nine chapters. Five chapters have been completed and endorsed by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, while four chapters are yet to be finalised.

Council is currently at different stages of progress with the remaining draft chapters. The draft Rural Lands Chapter was exhibited in 2019, endorsed by Council and is now awaiting endorsement by the NSW Government. The draft Employment Lands Chapter has just come off public exhibition and submissions received from that consultation will also now be summarised and reported to Council.

The final draft Chapter – Residential Lands – went out for input from the community this week. It is open for submissions until 31 July 2020. You can view the documents and make a submission here – haveyoursay.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/draft-lgms-chapter-7-residential-lands

This latest draft Chapter looks at the housing options for our community’s changing and growing population, specifically the mix and affordability of housing choices and how they can work in the adopted compact city model for our LGA. The aim of the draft Chapter is to ensure that Council can plan for the housing needs of its future population by encouraging quality development within existing residential areas.

As part of the draft Chapter consultation, we’re also seeking feedback on the issues of housing affordability and short-term holiday rentals via two separate discussion papers. The ‘Affordable Housing in Coffs Harbour Issues and Options Paper 2020’ highlights key housing affordability questions that exist in the Coffs Harbour local government area and potential solutions to assist.

The second discussion paper looks at short-term holiday rentals. The increasing popularity of these types of rentals led the NSW Government to introduce planning reforms last year that allow regional councils to develop a local response. The ‘Short Term Rental Accommodation Issues and Options Paper’ outlines some possible options.

I’d encourage you to take a look at all the documents and provide your feedback.