FAQ

The residential chapter outlines Council’s plan for facilitating housing growth until 2040.

The residential chapter presents clear actions and strategies to guide the supply of suitable housing types to accommodate future population needs, including actions that facilitate well-designed, connected neighbourhoods and facilitate infill development.

The residential chapter is Chapter 7 of nine chapters comprising the Coffs Harbour Local Growth Management Strategy. Most of the other chapters are nearing completion and some have been endorsed by the NSW Government.

The residential chapter will be implemented through Place Manuals (in consultation with the community) for specific precincts and areas; and through amendments to Council's local planning controls.

It is predicted by 2040 that the population will grow by 22,770 to 97,440 which will generate the needs for around 12,800 more dwellings within the Coffs Harbour LGA. The residential supply analysis shows that the LGA has capacity based on its existing residential land and 'growth areas'  (land not yet zoned for residential land use) to supply about 14,345 dwellings  up to 2040.

By 2040 Coffs Harbour's population will form households that are:

• 32% two person housholds;
  
• 28%lone person housholds;
• 24% couples with children.

The main strategic directions of the residential chapter are to:

• facilitate infill development and coordinated infrastructure delivery; 
• create great places through collaboration with the community;
• increase housing diversity and choice by promoting existing development incentives and encouraging a range of housing types in appropriate locations;
• attract and retain Millennials to ensure economic and demographic diversity; and
• influence housing affordability by working with government and the development industry to encourage a range of housing options.

The Local Growth Management Strategy Chapter 4 includes Infill, Renewal and Growth area maps. These maps show where more residential development will be encouraged. Infill and renewal areas are mainly directed to the medium and higher density areas around key centres, services and transport connections. Infill and Renewal areas are identified areas for possible increases in density. Growth areas are identified areas for residential growth but have not yet been rezoned for residential land use. Many of these Growth areas will be for low density residential development (taking the form of traditional style of detached dwellings).

Population growth, housing costs and falling household sizes have increased the need for more infill development within established areas across all of Australia’s major cities and regions.

Infill residential development means developing new housing is established neighbourhoods that are already zoned for residential uses. 

Infill housing can be developed as a granny flat or secondary dwelling on the same lot; by creating new houses by further subdivision; or replacing a single house on an existing lot with low-rise medium sized homes, such as townhouses, terraces or apartments.

A broader range of housing types can assist in increasing the mix of housing choices as people move through different life stages and their needs change. This could include the elderly, young people, people living alone, key workers, single parents with children or people living with disabilities.  

Increased housing diversity and choice can play a role in influencing housing affordability, enabling a more diverse economic and demographic population and improving the connections and public spaces around our neighbourhoods and centres. 

Central to the Residential Chapter is a design-led ‘place-based’ approach for residential development. This approach aims to work with the community to identify and protect the unique landscape and character of Coffs Harbour’s neighbourhoods and precincts. This approach recognises the need to guide future development of precincts carefully with communities to develop a differentiated neighbourhood character statement (called a Place Manual). This process might capture how a neighbourhood looks and feels and what local elements are important to that community.

A Place Manual is a document (like a masterplan) that captures a common vision to guide growth and changes in line with the community’s needs and aspirations. The development of Place Manuals in consultation with the community will inform future projects, initiatives and public realm works, including how relevant planning controls should apply to future development.

Place Manuals will also identify ways to achieve quality urban design and infrastructure outcomes coordinate connectivity (such as pedestrian and cycle paths) between private and public spaces.

The Residential Chapter cannot change population growth from happening in Coffs Harbour or prevent higher density development occurring in some locations.  It wont force people to move or need to leave their homes.

It is important to note that this Chapter will not result in immediate land rezoning or amendments to planning controls. Once this chapter is endorsed by state government, actions will be subject to further more detailed work including additional community engagement.

Consultation with the community has occurred over a 3 year period targeting a broad cross selection of the community and stakeholder groups. During 2016, the community were consulted on the Housing Issues and Options Paper; in 2017 community consultation occurred through workshops, drop in spaces and online surveys for the Urban Lands component of Local Growth Management Strategy; and in 2019 the community were invited to undertake surveys online and face-to-face on the Placescore community place measurement tool.

Between March and May 2019, Council obtained targeted feedback from over 35 industry stakeholders (including real estate agents, planning consultants, builders, architects and urban designers who work with medium density housing types) through a consultative workshop and industry survey of the broader industry sector. The purpose of this consultation process was to specifically understand what planning controls, incentives and guidelines could be addressed to encourage more infill development and better urban design outcomes for Coffs Harbour.

Council can play a role to influence the delivery of affordable housing by working with state and federal government and the development industry. Whilst Council doesn’t have a direct role in provision of affordable housing, Council can ensure its planning controls support the supply of housing (such as smaller forms of medium density housing), which can place downward pressure on housing affordability more generally.  Council can also remove barriers to further provision of this type of housing and look at ways to incentivise affordable housing initiatives. 

A discussion paper Affordable Housing in Coffs Harbour LGA - Issues and Options Paper 2020 has been prepared to seek community feedback on what actions Council could pursue as part of the residential chapter.

The increasing popularity of online holiday rental platforms such as Airbnb, allow residential homes to be rented out as short term rentals. This presents a number of issues to the community in terms of amenity, character, affordability and long-term availability of rental stock. 

In 2018 the State Government introduced Short Term Rental Accommodation planning reforms which include an option to reduce the day thresholds for non-hosted short term rental accommodation. 

Further information including information to assist Council in determining policy directions for short term rental accommodation is outlined in the discussion paper Short-Term Rental Accommodation - Issues and Options Paper 2020.

A number of actions within the draft residential chapter propose changes to Council's local planning controls. These proposed changes aim to incentivise types of infill or smaller developments within medium and high density residential zones. A glossary of planning terms used in the draft chapter is included in the Documents Section of this page.