National developer Time &amp; Place appears to have settled on a design for its long-anticipated Potts Point project.

After several years of back and forth with local council and the NSW Government, the developer, which has spent close to a decade targeting the former The Chimes site on Macleay Street, has now progressed its plans.

Following a concept design submission last year by SJB, Time &amp; Place has lodged a full State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government, this time for a scheme designed by Kerry Hill Architects.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="504d2a27-d65f-4227-8189-1e35e3376e62" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.38.24%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=_XqFKATYHF30KnVByPxhaI9UBzmkmfn7" />

The 16-storey proposal includes 44 apartments, 21 of which will be build-to-sell. These will comprise 19 three-bedroom apartments and two four-bedroom penthouses.

More than 50 per cent of the development will be dedicated to affordable housing, with 23 one- and two-bedroom apartments delivered in line with the NSW Government’s Housing SEPP.

Kerry Hill Architects said the proposal is driven by a strong response to place.

“Our proposal for a new residential building for Potts Point in Sydney is driven by a deep consideration of place,” the practice said in its submission.

“This operates on multiple levels, including a landscape approach that reinstates endemic flora of the Sydney peninsula and provides a ground-floor garden for residents, reconnecting the site to its pre-European history. A brick podium further strengthens this relationship to context, integrating planting and fine bronze detailing that references the predominant material language of Macleay Street.”

The three-level podium will be topped by a communal resident space, featuring a covered pool designed to receive direct afternoon sun in winter, a neighbouring reflection pool, dining and event areas oriented to maximise sunset views, and an outdoor exercise zone.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8d3eedc1-babb-44a3-bd96-d8a42f3adf1f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.37.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Ii7.4dvqNatu5GQi6bhqNjAswrMB998." />

The design also incorporates highly crafted shopfronts and a clearly defined residential entry to activate the street. Juliette balconies to the podium residences will provide passive surveillance and a strong sense of habitation.

Above, the larger apartments are housed within a light-coloured masonry and bronze tower.

“The tower steps back in a series of gently curved volumes that reference the rich Art Deco context of Macleay Street,” the architects said. “Carefully calibrated vertical fins frame the views while providing privacy and a sense of refuge.”

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fab60f4-3140-4469-b47a-48c781e0a30b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.28.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=e5XxrM3kzdASdKlcIACHAHbOSZhSKC9O" />

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in South Melbourne.

The developer has approval for The Burke, a mixed-use project in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>&nbsp;being delivered in partnership with Woolworths. The 60 apartments, positioned above a new Woolworths supermarket, are expected to launch in the coming months. Time &amp; Place is also progressing plans for the redevelopment of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/northcote-vic-3070">Northcote</a>&nbsp;Plaza, and have recently submitted plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/time-place-unveils-plans-22-storey-south-melbourne-tower">22-storey tower</a>, another in South Melbourne.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw">Sydney</a>, the developer has two projects in Manly: Two Tides, which is currently under construction, and an ultra high-end building on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach. It is also continuing to work through the redevelopment of The Chimes building on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as Marlborough House, the redevelopment of the original David Jones warehouse building in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surry-hills-nsw-2010">Surry Hills</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Time & Place settles on design for The Chimes, Potts Point redevelopment

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/develotek">Develotek</a> is joining the likes of TOGA, Deicorp, and One Global Capital, betting on a boom in Five Dock ahead of the 2032 mooted opening of the Five Dock Metro Station.

Develotek, which is currently developing Bianca on the Drummoyne waterfront and has plans approved for a tower in Chatswood, has filed a State Significant Development Application for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">two-building project in the evolving Kings Bay precinct</a>.

The buildings, one more boutique just five storeys and the other 26 storeys, will rise from an 3,158 sqm site across&nbsp;79–81 Queens Road and 2–8 Spencer Street, will home 134 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, above ground-floor retail and five basement levels of parking.

A key component of the proposal is the inclusion of 15 per cent of residential floor space as in-fill affordable housing, unlocking additional height and density under the Housing SEPP.

<img alt="First Look: Develotek lodges State Significant shop top housing project in Five Dock precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3ee31bf7-75ba-4bc5-b190-49885193219f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium_2.png?VersionId=730UbrduuwK3C1sO28RHjiLPUPqXqjkh" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a>, the scheme adopts a podium-and-tower configuration, with a five-storey street wall along Queens Road transitioning to a 26-storey tower set deeper into the site. The ground plane prioritises activation and permeability, with retail frontages and a new through-site link connecting Queens Road to Spencer Street.

At the upper levels, the tower façade has been conceived using a modular system to support prefabrication and reduce construction waste, while improving build efficiency. The splayed form draws on the geometry of surrounding industrial rooftops, reinterpreting the area’s heritage in a contemporary expression while also helping to reduce solar heat gain to east and west-facing apartments.

“This project aspires to transform a former industrial site into a connected, resilient and people-focused urban community, grounded in Country, shaped by history, and designed to enrich everyday life within the evolving Kings Bay Precinct,” said John Walsh, Principal at Plus Studio.

The proposal reflects the broader transformation of the Kings Bay Precinct under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, marking a shift from its industrial past to a higher-density, mixed-use urban neighbourhood.

<img alt="First Look: Develotek lodges State Significant shop top housing project in Five Dock precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abde734c-1e31-4a97-a1d2-fa9bcf31c380" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/building%20podium.png?VersionId=fNUupP6u146yEytQT31kKVRxwtACgPpP" />

Develotek is emerging as an active participant in the state’s affordable housing-led uplift pathway. The developer recently secured approval for a 34-storey mixed-use tower in Chatswood, where it similarly leveraged the in-fill affordable housing provisions to increase scale and deliver a 101-unit scheme with dedicated affordable apartments.

Their entry into Five Dock places them alongside a growing list of developers targeting the suburb ahead of its anticipated transport uplift, with Sydney Metro set to extend into the area. Major players including TOGA, Deicorp, and One Global Capital are all progressing large-scale precinct-style developments nearby, collectively reshaping the low-rise industrial fabric into a higher-density mixed-use corridor.

The Five Dock site sits within the Kings Bay Precinct, a key renewal area under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, where planning controls support significant uplift tied to affordable housing delivery. The consolidated 3,158 sqm site is currently occupied by low-rise industrial uses, including warehouses and vehicle workshops, earmarked for transition.

First Look: Develotek joins in Five Dock apartment boom

Ascot’s Racecourse Road continues to be a hive of activity for Brisbane developers.

Following Fortis and GRAYA, which are both preparing new projects along the key strip connecting Kingsford Smith Drive and Eagle Farm Racecourse, local developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skyhold">Skyhold</a> is the latest to lodge plans for its own development.

The group is proposing One One Two Residences, a boutique project comprising just seven apartments, named after its address at 112 Racecourse Road.

The proposal outlines a five-storey building on an 810 sqm site. The built form slightly exceeds the four-storey expectation under the neighbourhood plan, aligning instead with the emerging character of the strip. As the planning report notes, “the locality is characterised by a transition toward medium-rise residential development, with a number of recent developments… above the stipulated height limits.”

<img alt="First Look: Skyhold lodges plans for boutique Ascot apartments as Racecourse Road revival gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ec577631-8c51-4163-960e-e7b3a77d655b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ascot.png?VersionId=iAzQ46D4Uu1UqiS0mVnlcy9jeFKBpJIj" />

Designed by 111 with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/paul-bangay-garden-design">Paul Bangay Studio</a>, the scheme adopts a layered architectural approach with strong articulation and a subtropical response. Deep balconies, integrated planters, and a mix of masonry and textured finishes define the façade, while upper-level setbacks reduce perceived bulk. The architectural statement describes “a series of horizontally expressed layers, defined by deep balconies and a consistent robust material palette,” aimed at delivering a refined streetscape presence.

Apartments are configured as large-format residences, including multiple three-bedroom layouts and a full-floor penthouse, supported by ground-level parking. A rooftop terrace will provide communal amenities including a pool and landscaped recreation areas. The design prioritises privacy, natural ventilation, and greenery, with planting integrated across all levels to soften the building form and contribute to the public realm.

<img alt="First Look: Skyhold lodges plans for boutique Ascot apartments as Racecourse Road revival gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e1219bd-b45a-4d7f-bbc7-7207d7b2fc94" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ascot%20entry.png?VersionId=JIoUOLMgQ5xWpEF0etEI3ffIoIVjD7gO" />

The proposal sits within the Racecourse Road precinct, a key mixed-use spine in Ascot that continues to attract renewed development interest.

Later this year national developer Fortis will launch its own boutique development, which, pending council approvals, will be 16 apartments designed by Koichi Takada Architects, just down the street.

“Racecourse Road is going through a massive revitalisation and we’re proud to be a part of that transformation,” said Fortis's QLD General Manager, Dan Boman.

Nearby, GRAYA is advancing its larger-scale The Gallery, a mixed-use shop-top housing project designed to act as a “catalytic project for Racecourse Road.”

First Look: Racecourse Road, Hamilton revitalization to continue as Skyhold joins the party

Twenty-five years after launching one of Australia’s most visionary and successful masterplanned beach communities - Casuarina on the Northern NSW Tweed Coast - developer Consolidated Properties Group has unveiled plans for an $800 million sister project located 10 kilometres south, at Cudgera Creek near the coastal town of Pottsville.

CPG has taken the wraps off Caldera, a 78-hectare masterplanned village that builds on the legacy of Casuarina and aims to help address Northern NSW’s coastal housing shortage via the delivery of 550 homes built in a sustainable manner and addressing affordability and housing diversity, while also focusing on architectural and ecological merit.

Caldera is being brought to life by the same creative team that delivered Casuarina, led by Consolidated Properties CEO and chairman Don O’Rorke, Hutchinson Builders chairman Scott Hutchinson and renowned urban designer Brian Toyota, of architectural practice Bureau Proberts.

CPG has lodged a rezoning application with Tweed Shire Council for the Caldera site, which has been designated since 1991 as the Dunloe Park Urban Release Area, the final land release area within the Pottsville locality and one of only four remaining growth areas along the entire Tweed coastal strip. Preliminary plans for Caldera feature a 13-hectare retail and commercial precinct at the core of the village, surrounded by meticulously planned residential areas comprising around 550 homesites.

The retail hub will be anchored by a Coles Supermarket and will offer 7000 sqm of retail and 23 commercial lots designed to serve the local community and bring together curated shopping, dining, gym, wellness, childcare, medical and other essential services.

<img alt="Cons prop" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fca7dc71-4b71-45b1-bb04-5a60bd7158d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%208.34.04%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=vAKwIvLuwmTKj6blHJRYIEeXS_8lCgUx" />

The project will create more than 1500 jobs over its development cycle, according to its economic modelling, and significantly address the shortage of employment land in the Tweed.

The residential areas will encourage a sense of community via a cohesive urban design that encourages walking, cycling, enhanced resident connectivity and reduced reliance on cars via bike paths and pedestrian-friendly streets.

Homesites will include a range of options from premium ridge-top homes to affordable housing options, ensuring a community that is inclusive of different income levels and designed to appeal to a wide demographic from baby boomers to families, singles and professionals. Architectural and planting covenants on home building will support the village’s built form and protect its character.

O’Rorke says CPG intends Caldera to be a model project delivered efficiently in a dedicated urban release area and ‘very much for this region and for this time’.

“Our vision for Caldera is to create a modern coastal village with its own unique northern NSW identity,” he said.

“Building on our legacy of Casuarina, 25 years on, this new village is designed to stand apart, offering the future of modern living, balancing the natural beauty of the region with contemporary amenities and convenience.

“Caldera will be more than just a place to live - it will be a welcoming, inclusive coastal village neighbouring Pottsville that invites visitors and embraces new residents. With its strong ties to the land, vibrant lifestyle and sense of place, Caldera will set a new standard for village living in Northern NSW.”

<img alt="CPG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a5a7cf4-5f76-4ddf-bd05-c8fb77d0a787" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%208.33.59%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=J1CzCGD7kE7fcAMd41V4pKAf_sI4L5Jv" />

The project’s centrepiece is environmental sustainability, with comprehensive wetlands protection measures and planting of native trees, parklands, village greens and communal grounds to enhance the natural beauty of the area.

CPG will also deliver a developer-funded wastewater treatment plant to ensure zero ocean outflows and provide high quality long-term infrastructure for Tweed Shire.

A key focus is wildlife management planning, including extensive conservation controls for the West Pottsville koala population, aligned with Tweed Shire Council’s Koala Plan of Management and designed to enhance koala habitat connectivity and future population growth.

Caldera will extend the existing koala corridor by connecting koala precincts west of the Pacific Highway with populations in the north and east precincts. A koala underpass will be created under Pottsville Road to complete the connection of this important corridor. Native tree plantings will expand essential koala food sources, while approximately eight kilometres of exclusion fencing will be constructed to safeguard the koalas from urban threats.

The Caldera site is nestled in the hills of Cudgera Creek and benefits from its rich natural surroundings including the Pottsville Wetland, Cudgera Creek Nature Reserve and nearby Pottsville Beach.

It takes its name from the surrounding Tweed Shield Volcano and Caldera, the vast bowl-shaped depression stretching from Byron Bay to the Queensland border that 20 million years ago was the world’s largest shield volcano and which has shaped the region’s striking landscape, with Mount Warning standing as one of its most iconic features.

The development is a joint venture between CPG and Pottsville Development Corporation, which made its first investment in Pottsville more than 45 years ago and is the developer of Black Rocks By the Sea, a masterplanned community now part of the fabric of Pottsville and which was the catalyst for the construction of a bridge across the Pottsville Estuary, providing direct access to the beach.

CPG’s $1.5 billion Casuarina Beach township, 10 kilometres to the north of Caldera, commenced construction in 2000 and has become the model for modern Australian, eco-sensitive beachside development.

Consolidated Properties unveils $800m coastal village Caldera in Casuarina

Growing national developer Time &amp; Place has announced its fifth new apartment development.

With two projects in Manly and two upcoming in Surry Hills and Potts Point, the developer, which expanded beyond Melbourne just a few years ago, is now heading to Mosman. It is planning 53 new apartments on Redan Street.

The 3,233 sqm site, spanning <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-48-redan-street-mosman-nsw-2088">40–48 Redan Street</a> with frontage to Redan Lane, is located just under 400 metres from Spit Junction Town Centre. It is reported the developer paid around $100 million for the five-site amalgamation.

Time &amp; Place, founded by Tim Price and backed by James Packer’s private investment firm NPACT, has submitted the project as a State Significant Development through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

Of the 53 apartments, 42 will be released to the market, with the remaining 11 allocated as affordable housing in line with NSW Government requirements.

fjc Studio has designed the building. In its Design Report, the architect said the diverse mix of dwelling types and sizes, including 11 two-bedroom affordable housing units, 40 three-bedroom apartments, and two four-bedroom residences, will support a broad demographic, including families, downsizers, and key workers.

The development will rise to nine levels, a height encouraged by the NSW Government due to the site’s proximity to Spit Junction, which has been identified as a low- to mid-rise centre. Developments within a certain proximity to these centres are permitted increased height.

fjc said the project “achieves an appropriate density outcome for its setting by balancing increased housing supply with strong amenity performance,” adding that it “makes a measurable contribution to NSW housing supply targets through the delivery of additional dwellings and dedicated affordable housing.”

The new development will replace five existing two-storey homes.

“By aligning with the objectives of the Housing SEPP and applying careful architectural and urban design principles, the development provides high-quality residential accommodation that integrates sensitively within its established Mosman context and delivers enduring benefits to residents and the wider community.”

Mosman has become increasingly popular with developers in recent years.

Developer Abadeen has been particularly active, with Mosman Residences currently on the market and under construction on Clifford Street. It also has an upcoming Burran Avenue project, comprising just three apartments on the Balmoral Slopes, and recently secured the Midas and Honeysuckle nursery site on Military Road.

Prosker Property has a project on Redan Lane, just a few doors down from Time &amp; Place’s proposed development.

Developers including Toohey Miller, DARE Property Group, and WINIM also have projects underway in the area. In 2024, a five-year target was set for the Mosman LGA to increase housing supply by 500 dwellings by 2029.

Time &amp; Place entered the Sydney market with Two Tides, its under construction Manly development. Given its sales success, it has secured another development in the area, more boutique, facing the beach on North Steyne.

They are hoping to launch their redevelopment of The Chimes in Potts Point this year, and next year will look to take to market Marlborough House, an adaptive re-use of the landmark David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills.

Time & Place to take on Mosman apartment market

Housing Minister

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The appointment of Alan Tudge, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure and Michael Sukkar, Minister for Housing, in the Morrison Ministry are important roles for the growth of Australia’s cities. 
Both Minister Tudge and Minister Sukkar have demonstrated excellent leadership in the areas of cities and housing over previous years so we welcome their continuing in these important roles.
Clearly housing supply is at a critical stage in Australia due to falling prices and slowing housing approvals yet our population growth is significant. 
The election of the Morrison government has already returned some confidence to the housing industry and it is important that this continues.” 
The actions by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) to reduce the constraints on housing loans has been positive, as has suggestions by the Reserve Bank of Australia that interest rates could be reduced. These signals have led to some green shoots appearing in the housing industry.
One of the major changes happening in relation to housing in Australian cities is a big swing to apartment living, which is more affordable than house living. Apartments are also often well located in relation to public transport and to access to jobs and shared amenities. 
But some in the community have expressed concern at this change to the character of our cities. 
To support the swing to apartment living, the Urban Taskforce has instigated a campaign titled Welcome Home which champions those people living the more urban apartment living style.
The Urban Taskforce is keen to work closely with the Morrison Government on broad planning issues and particularly on policies related to the supply of new housing.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Ministers for cities and housing crucial roles in the Scott Morrison government

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Michael Sukkar has been appointed assistant Minister to the Treasurer and Minister for Housing.
He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2013, representing the Deakin electorate in Victoria for the Liberal Party.
He served as the Assistant Minister to the Treasurer between 24 January 2017 and August 2018, when he returned to the backbench.
Luke Howarth is the assistant minister for Community Housing and Homelessness as key parts of Scott Morrison’s second Ministry.
The announcement of a Federal Housing Minister and an Assistant Ministry for Community Housing in the second Morrison ministry shows an awakening to the importance of affordable housing to the future of the country, according to Nicholas Proud, CEO of PowerHousing Australia, which represents 33 of Australia’s largest tier one and scale-growth community housing providers. 
“As the biggest slowdown in the development of residential housing in our history threatens to see house prices sky rocket again as demand again outstrips supply, the Federal Government signals that affordable housing, social impact and the economy are not mutually exclusive.
“With housing remaining in Treasury there is real promise to build on the development of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation to see affordable housing deliver up to 10-20 per cent of the national build rate to preserve, jobs, underpin state budgets, preserve supply and keep house prices rising at a more manageable pace.
“Linking Treasury, Cities and Urban Infrastructure makes real common sense, it shows commitment to stop thinking about social and affordable housing as a short-term real estate play and reframes it as a long-term infrastructure yield/risk class ripe for 10-15 year institutional and global investment.
“It also links housing to the deep infrastructure and City Deals investments announced in previous Coalition budgets, which help to reduce congestion and make it easier for Australians, including key workers and those on low and middle incomes, to more easily get to and from work."
Around noted Australia is heading for a slowdown in new housing delivery.
The Australian Banking Association welcomed the reappointment of Treasurer the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP and the new appointments of the Hon Michael Sukkar MP as Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing and Senator Jane Hume as Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology.  
The CEO of the Australian Banking Association Anna Bligh welcomed the new appointments and looks forward to working closely with the Government on important policies such as improving protections for customers through overhauling the Banking Code of Practice, Open Banking and the Government’s First Home Buyers policy announced during the campaign.
“There are a number of critical reforms apart from the Royal Commission, most notably Open Banking and Comprehensive Credit Reporting, which the industry is eager to continue to work closely with the Government to ensure their success.
“Australia’s banks hold a critical role in the national economy and stand ready to work with the Morrison Government to ensure the economy keeps growing, from the financing of infrastructure projects to helping everyday people get ahead in life with first homes, cars and small business lending.
“Ensuring lending remains straight forward and easy for Australian customers looking to buy a home or invest in their business is a top priority for the industry and remains a critical element in ensuring the economy is geared for growth,” she said.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Michael Sukkar appointed Minister for Housing

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GUEST OBSERVATION
As politicians across Australia grapple with a fix for housing affordability, you might be forgiven for thinking this was the first time the nation has confronted a crisis in housing. But analysis of documents from the reconstruction period following the second world war finds that, as the war was drawing to a close, concern was building about housing availability and affordability. <img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/74615/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
Some of the issues, arguments and solutions being presented today are extremely similar to those consuming Australian politicians and policymakers three-quarters of a century ago.
<h2>Housing and fertility</h2>
Treasurer Scott Morrison <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/people-are-delaying-having-children-so-they-can-buy-a-house-scott-morrison-20170312-guwnm1" target="_blank">recently asserted</a> that the housing affordability crisis was so severe that:
"People are putting off when they buy their house. They are even putting off when they have kids so they can save more."
The links between housing affordability and the fertility of the national population are difficult to make at the best of times. But Morrison is not the first to make this connection.
In 1944, housing reformer Oswald “Oz” Barnett connected the declining national birth rate with a lack of quality and affordable housing.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1599057?lookfor=author:(Oswald%20Barnett)&amp;offset=17&amp;max=19">He argued</a> that the "tragic lack of decent dwellings is rapidly leading us along the road to national race suicide […] One cannot blame a woman for refusing to bring a baby into the world […] nor blame the expectant mother, when her baby does come, for refusing to have another baby until she is able to obtain a house."
Similarly, in its second interim report in 1944, the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2843335?lookfor=commonwealth%20housing%20commission&amp;offset=5&amp;max=343" target="_blank">Commonwealth Housing Commission</a> reasoned that the lack of affordable housing stock available was “one of the major factors in the limitation of families” and the “alarming decline in the Australian birth rate”.
<h2>Rural spaces as the solution</h2>
While rural Australia had its own housing problems – and <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-housing-affordability-crisis-in-regional-australia-yes-and-heres-why-71808" target="_blank">still does today</a> – it also offered a solution to the problem of a low national birth rate. Sidney Luker, a civil engineer and town planner in New South Wales, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2319960?lookfor=author:(walter%20bunning)&amp;offset=11&amp;max=13" target="_blank">observed that</a> the decline in the national fertility was “naturally more apparent in the capital cities than in the country”.
His solution? Get people to move to the country via decentralisation policies.
Not only were those living in rural Australia more likely to have children, but life in the country was argued to be naturally superior. Journalist and historian <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/749306?lookfor=title:(War%20Aims%20of%20a%20Plain%20Australia)&amp;offset=1&amp;max=394913">Charles Bean</a> argued that “decentralisation” was necessary for the “health, conveniences and improvement of the big cities”.
Architect, town planner and key contributor to the Commonwealth Housing Commission <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2235723?lookfor=author:(walter%20bunning)&amp;offset=6&amp;max=13" target="_blank">Walter Bunning</a> also believed that decentralisation would improve “housing conditions” and reduce the time workers spent travelling to their places of employment. This would prevent people from becoming a “race of ‘straphangers’” – people spending a long time on transport to and from work.
Such arguments are eerily similar to those we hear today about the costs of congestion that come with affordable housing being on the outskirts of our major cities.
Earlier this year, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-24/barnarby-joyce-urges-aspiring-home-owners-to-look-beyond-sydney/8209496">argued that</a> home buyers who couldn’t afford property in the major cities should consider moving to regional Australia. He said “there are other parts of Australia” to buy housing.
<h2>Housing affordability and political risk</h2>
Political and policy minds were also focused on fixing housing problems during the 1940s due to the risk of political discontent.
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2316916?lookfor=(author:Council%20OR%20author:of%20OR%20author:Social%20OR%20author:Services%20OR%20author:NSW)%20AND%20(title:Report%20OR%20title:on%20OR%20title:Housing)%20AND%20(date:%5B1940%20TO%201950%5D)&amp;offset=1&amp;max=520">Council of Social Services NSW</a> explained: "Bad housing fosters the growth of anti-democratic opinion – the frame of mind of the ‘have not’."
Similarly, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/713131?lookfor=author:(Oswald%20Barnett)&amp;offset=1&amp;max=19" target="_blank">Barnett</a> and fellow social housing campaigners Walter Burt and Frank Heath noted “an increasingly bitter contest between […] capitalism [and …] labour”.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1599057?lookfor=author:(Oswald%20Barnett)&amp;offset=17&amp;max=19" target="_blank">Barnett</a> argued that this contest was being waged over housing: "The fight is centring on the struggles for houses for the people, […] houses that they can rent, or buy, at prices within their capacity to pay."
Politicians and policymakers today have not made a direct connection between problems of housing affordability and the political instability that comes with it. But they are no doubt highly attuned to it. They need only look to the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2010/11/12/5-long-term-consequences-of-the-recession/#5875d93144ec">US</a> and <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/eurocrisispress/2014/06/10/mind-the-gaps-the-political-consequences-of-the-great-recession-in-europe/">Europe</a> and the part housing has played in contributing to political uncertainty in those places to understand the importance of tackling the problem in Australia.
Important differences exist between the the housing problems of 1940s Australia and those we confront in 2017. However, a historical perspective augments our understanding of contemporary housing debates and policies. It can provide more context and detail on potential ways forward.
Rae Dufty-Jones is senior lecturer in human geography at <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092" target="_blank">Western Sydney University</a>.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-it-comes-to-housing-affordability-debates-everything-old-is-new-again-74615" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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The housing debate goes full circle: Rae Dufty-Jones

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GUEST OBSERVER
The latest ABS housing approval data for NSW indicates a big drop over five months giving the new Housing Minister a big challenge.
The ABS trend data indicates that between July 2016 and December 2016 home approvals in NSW dropped by 24% and apartment approvals by 35 percent.
These figures will give the new Housing Minister, Anthony Roberts, a big challenge as he acquaints himself with his new portfolio.
The home approvals by trend for December 2016 were 4,950 compared to the July 2016 figure of 6,545. This is a drop of 1,595 or 24 percent over 5 months. 
Most of the drop was with apartment approvals which dropped from 4,133 in July 2016 to 2,668 in December 2016. This is a drop of 1,465 or 35%.
The trend graphs illustrate a steady drop over the last 5 months. It will be important that the new NSW Housing and Planning Minister brings in some new policies and improvements to the planning system to reverse the current trend.
It would appear that the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) which began in February 2016 has not been able to influence housing approvals and that the confusion with local council amalgamations may have contributed to the slow down.
A number of Urban Taskforce members have reported difficulties in getting approvals from local councils and from the GSC’s planning panels even in areas where the state government has encouraged development.
The recent release of the District Plans by the GSC has added to uncertainty as they seem to restrict housing in a number of areas. The August rezoning review issued by the Government has also made it more difficult to submit planning proposals.
The big drop in housing approvals comes just as the new Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has stated that housing supply is the key to housing affordability and appointed Anthony Roberts as Housing Minister to tackle the supply issue.
Minister Roberts is in an ideal position as both Housing and Planning Minister to take some strong action to ramp up housing supply in the state. He needs to look at the restrictive zoning in the District Plans that stops new housing in district and strategic centres and in out of date industrial areas in inner Sydney.
The Minister should also use the Greater Sydney Commission to fast track housing approvals for large projects over the value of $20 million. He should also look at setting up planning centres of excellence in each of the six Sydney districts to drive housing supply.
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In the current boom economic times, Sydney should be completing 40,000 new homes a year but the highest number to date has only been 31,000.
The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with Minister Roberts to develop fast track processes to lift housing supply. We are also keen to outline a plan to complete 4,000 new affordable homes a year for Sydney.
See below New monthly private sector home approvals NSW graph based on ABS figures: 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/03/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-03%20at%208.41.36%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/03/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-03%20at%208.41.36%20AM.png" alt="">
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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