Lower affordable housing contributions proposed
Northern Beaches Council has endorsed a proposal to amend its Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme from 10% to 3%, or a monetary contribution of $16,150 per square metre, for non-government-owned land in the Frenchs Forest Precinct (FFP) at its meeting on 18 November. The changes would mean less dedicated affordable housing, but is aimed to accelerate construction.
Since the FFP was rezoned in 2021, four developments of 236 dwellings have been approved. But construction had yet to begin due to low growth in sales prices and an increase in construction costs, council said. Approvals included 29 affordable housing units dedicated to council.
Under council’s current scheme, developers must dedicate 10% of completed dwellings in the FFP and 15% of dwellings on land in the future town centre (Forest High site) to council in perpetuity, or as a monetary contribution. Monetary contributions must be put aside by council for the purpose of building affordable housing.
At the meeting, Curl Curl Ward Greens councillor Kristyn Glanville proposed an amendment to reduce the 10% FFP contributions to 3% for developers who lodged a DA within three years (2029) and 5% thereafter. The motion was lost. Cr Glanville told PL it was a ‘missed opportunity’ to provide affordable housing for hospital staff. “Having that affordable housing close to the hospital would have really been a game changer for people like who are currently commuting from as far as the Central Coast or Western Sydney,” she said.
Cr Glanville said there would be a public consultation on the changes, and she said Greens councillors would be rallying people to try and push back’ and request ‘more ambitious targets.’
Changes would also include a 3% contributions rate applied to residential developments in the government’s low-and mid-rise housing reform zones, and a 2% rate applied to higher density residential builds in the remaining areas of the local government area.
Following the meeting, Greens councillor Ethan Hrnjak lodged a rescission notice to quash the 3% scheme. This was discussed at an extraordinary meeting on 25 November, but the motion was lost 10 votes to five.
Council will submit the proposal to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces for Gateway determination.