Decentralisation a better approach to Sydney’s housing pressures, say Greens

“It’s time the Government refocused on decentralisation. Intelligent planning for areas beyond Sydney, circumscribed by green belts to prevent sprawl and well served by public transport, is desperately overdue,” said Ms Hale. 

“Simply releasing additional land on Sydney’s outskirts will only increase the demand for public transport and add to already intolerable congestion on the city’s roads and its declining air quality.

“Sacrificing the city’s food-bowl to residential development will do nothing to reduce food prices.

“Urban sprawl may be of no consequence to developers whose motivation is to make as big a profit as possible in the shortest time possible, but it should worry the community as a whole and those who live in areas devoid of services and employment opportunities.

“Housing affordability consists not just of the price paid for a house but also of the long-term costs of social isolation, lengthy and expensive travelling times, and absence of community amenities.

“Nor does the answer to Sydney’s population pressures lie in simply constructing higher and higher unit blocks and building over the city’s parks and reserves.

“Urban consolidation requires well designed unit blocks that take account of the context in which they’re constructed and provide adequate open space for residents – whether they be children, young workers or the elderly, this requires good planning.

“Calls by developers such as Harry Triguboff to make our parks smaller are a step backward, and demonstrates the self interest of developer-led consolidation.

“Affordable housing in particular requires good, environmentally sustainable design, and an awareness of the future needs of residents. These needs should be paramount, not just how many blocks can be erected at the lowest possible cost.

“Pandering to the profit-driven imperatives of the development industry is not a substitute for intelligent planning and design,” said Ms Hale.

 Further information: Colin Hesse on 02 9230 3030 or 0401 719 124