Bathurst 2036 Housing Strategy - Stage 2 Strategy Development

Exhibition of the Stage 2 consultation has concluded. The submissions that have been received by Council will be collated and a report will now be prepared for Council's consideration.

Council recognises that the City is growing at an average of 1.4% annually, with a need to house an additional 12,170 people by 2036. Council considers that the City will sustain further grow beyond 2036 at least at a similar growth rate. The Housing Strategy seeks to identify actions that Council could implement to better utilise the existing residential zoned land to cater for the expected population increase.

The strategies outlined in the different precincts in section 7 of the document seek to:

• Increase living densities and lot yields in appropriate locations;
• Respect the heritage significance of Bathurst’s streetscapes, buildings and sites, and take some development pressures off the City’s key heritage areas.
• Encourage adaptable reuse of larger heritage sites.
• Maintain the existing open space and plan for new open space where possible.
• Improve accessibility and walkability to the CBD and NACs and increase the housing stock in close proximity to those centres.
• Encourage higher density living and lot yields on greenfield sites.
• Manage change from old to new housing stock and ensure the impacts of change are managed to complement the existing neighbourhood character.
• Ensure the development of quality access to NACs and CBD through walking and integrated public transport.
• Encourage masterplanning of different precincts.
• Encourage the development of high quality urban design principles to manage increased living densities and to manage change between the old and new housing stock.

The Strategy recognises that there are a number of methods that could be used to increase the living density of the City with the aim of reducing unrestrained urban sprawl. The identified actions will assist in delaying the zoning of additional land contributing further to the City’s urban sprawl.

Bathurst’s population will continue to age and household size will continue to decrease. The identified actions in the Housing Strategy also seek to encourage housing choice and diversity, particularly with respect to lot and household size.

The actions within the Housing Strategy seek to map a balanced approach to managing increasing living densities within the City whilst addressing the identified constraints and the community’s desire to maintain the character of the existing neighbourhoods and maintain the rural feel of the City.

Based on current development trends, the Housing Strategy identifies that no further land is required to be zoned prior to 2036 to cater for the expected population growth.