Uralla’s Local Housing Strategy has now been endorsed by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, marking an important milestone in planning for the future of our towns and villages.
Through the development of the Strategy, we uncovered some specific challenges – and opportunities – that we need to plan for. Uralla is likely to be a temporary home for up to 2,000 renewable energy workers over the coming decade. Our housing stock is mostly made up of larger, single-family homes, with too few options for singles, renters, and downsizers. We also found that while there’s sufficient land already zoned for housing across the Shire, some of Council’s planning processes have made development more complex than it needs to be.
The Strategy was shaped by strong community input via sessions at the Courthouse to conversations at the markets, detailed submissions, and surveys.
Community feedback called for:
- a proactive approach to temporary worker accommodation linked to the Renewable Energy Zone, with a focus on legacy housing for the community;
- support for community-led and non-market housing models such as cooperatives and Community Land Trusts;
- preservation of Uralla’s village character and heritage;
- more diverse, smaller homes suited to older residents and intergenerational living; and
- clearer direction on growth areas, infrastructure and data to guide decisions.
In response, the Strategy recommends key actions including:
- investigating options for retirement and independent living within the Uralla township;
- identifying sites and agreements for worker accommodation;
- establishing a Community Housing Innovation Forum; and
- preparing a Growth Management Strategy and infrastructure plan to guide future development and upgrades.
Council has now begun the Growth Management Strategy and Local Environmental Plan (LEP) Review, funded through the NSW Government’s Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund. The Growth Management Plan builds on the Local Housing Strategy but includes a comprehensive look at rural land and settlements, as well as employment land. We are developing a Township Structure plan for Uralla which will guide how the town grows while preserving the character.
This work will feed into an update of the Shire’s zoning and planning controls and introduce Developer Servicing Plans (DSPs) to ensure new development is supported by essential services.
Council is aiming to present the draft Growth Management Strategy to the February meeting, with a view to placing it on public exhibition in March.
Media Release: Uralla Shire Council
