Plans have been revealed for the new city centre at Bradfield,&nbsp;offering the first detailed look at how one of the key development sites around the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis could take shape as the city centre evolves.

Project management and construction management firm&nbsp;Creative Vision&nbsp;filed the plans for development on behalf of Bradfield Corporation.

The 20,000 sqm site at 135 Badgerys Creek Road will home a new large-scale residential, commercial and civic precinct designed to anchor early growth in the Bradfield City Centre.

<img alt="First look: Mixed-use development proposed for Bradfield’s future city centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6716793f-94eb-4897-994f-c7d7c56b87a2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bradfield%20da%201.png?VersionId=UvOngnIxqXO1Q3vtTn5UjB.JKRkZ.Gcd" />

The concept application seeks approval for a mixed-use residential and commercial development comprising multiple buildings arranged around new public spaces, pedestrian connections and internal streets. According to the submitted design documentation, the proposal is intended to establish a "high-density urban core that supports both employment and housing outcomes within the Western Sydney Aerotropolis."

The development includes a substantial residential component, around 400 apartments, alongside commercial uses such as offices, retail and services, with buildings ranging in height to form a defined skyline and a strong street presence along key movement corridors. Full-scale architectural renders included in the design report illustrate a cluster of mid- to high-rise forms with articulated facades, deep setbacks and landscaped podiums.

<img alt="First look: Mixed-use development proposed for Bradfield’s future city centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e097164-71ac-406f-87a6-cf49538c31f0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bradfield%20da%202.png?VersionId=lFTgCjE2Q9BRewayz4_ksufCPSPjCmM." />

In outlining the urban design intent, the Architectural Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> notes that the proposal “has been structured to create a connected, walkable precinct that prioritises public domain, legibility and long-term flexibility as Bradfield grows.” The report adds that the arrangement of buildings and open spaces is intended to “support a mix of residential and employment uses while allowing future stages to respond to evolving market and infrastructure conditions.”

Public open space forms a central part of the concept, with landscaped plazas, green links and pedestrian routes designed to integrate with the broader Bradfield City Centre masterplan. The design report states that the open space network is conceived as “a civic framework for the precinct, providing places for gathering, movement and everyday activity rather than residual space between buildings.”

<img alt="First look: Mixed-use development proposed for Bradfield’s future city centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="de475ae8-9856-436c-9003-115c40110c71" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bradfield%20da%203.png?VersionId=RjCNTGInRYsgN.8jKaKjvpZJ.V6ZcWTL" />

The application has been lodged as a State Significant Development, reflecting both the scale of the proposal and its strategic importance within the Aerotropolis. As a concept SSDA, the submission focuses on overall land use, building envelopes, heights and public domain outcomes, with detailed design to be resolved through future stages.

Joel Robinson

Bradfield’s future city centre revealed ahead of Western Sydney International Airport's 2026 opening 

Luxury developer Martello™ is bringing its Melb​ourne smarts to the Gold Coast, one of the hottest property markets in the country.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a>, proudly a female-led business, has delivered a string of premium residential projects predominantly across Mel​bourne’s blue-chip Bayside suburbs.

While now aiming higher into the sky to be more inline with demand in the Gold Coast, Martello™ will continue to uphold its wellness-first and human-centric development ethos. This extends beyond extensive amenities to encompass architecture, natural light and considered design that supports everyday wellbeing.

<img alt="Martello" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="711d702d-456f-44ec-88b0-953116d46525" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/2_0.png?VersionId=_0HvOgU4oLg3Xairs.j.x9.tjyXoK6iG" />

On expanding operations to the Gold Coast, a spokeswoman said the move represents the next phase of Martello™’s evolution, with Queensland standing out for its “long-term strength, lifestyle appeal and the scale of investment shaping its future.”

“This expansion is a considered move into markets where quality, liveability and long-term value will continue to matter,” she said.

Billions of dollars are currently being invested in transport, urban renewal and community infrastructure across Queensland, strengthening connectivity between coastal precincts, lifestyle hubs and employment centres well ahead of 2032.

“We see Olympic-led infrastructure as a catalyst for lasting change,” she said. “It’s about building places that remain relevant and connected long after the Games.”

Martello™ will kick off its Gold Coast debut with an exclusive collection of 32 full-floor residences on Chevron Island. The prime site is positioned a stone’s throw from Chevron Island Village, and enjoys effortless access to the renowned dining, shopping and lifestyle offerings of Surfers Paradise.

<img alt="Martello" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="717f9fed-5a5a-4145-8247-a01c126e1328" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/3_1.png?VersionId=09kHYpLVzcr5thgyDhv7ylWpckDiapF_" />

The developer has added a sought-after project in one of Broadbeach’s most tightly held areas to its portfolio and is actively exploring further opportunities across the Gold Coast.

“Our projects will respond intuitively to coastline, hinterland, topography and local character, with environmental and community considerations embedded throughout the development process,” the spokeswoman said.

“Our approach is always to respond to place rather than impose on it.”

Martello™’s Chevron Island project will officially launch to the market in the coming weeks, marking a major milestone ahead of construction commencing in Q2 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143932]

Martello™ breaks into booming Gold Coast market with wellness-led living

The importance of 10-year Latent Defects Insurance was not lost on first home buyers Mason Davis and his partner Chloe, who recently secured an apartment at Infinity Park in Norwest, which came with the sought-after insurance policy offered by Resilience Insurance.

The couple found it “hugely reassuring” compared to other new developments. It is the only project in the area offering a 10-year policy that protects purchasers from any structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years post-completion of the building.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94408 project_image_fid=360032]

Developer Haitchin Group is approaching completion of the 290-apartment development.

Robert Tasevski, General Manager at Haitchin Group, says they are seeing buyers place a high value on certainty, certainty of build quality, certainty of delivery timeframes and certainty around what they’re buying into.

“Being able to offer a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, alongside a project that is nearing completion, provides a level of reassurance that’s increasingly important for first-time purchasers.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94408 project_image_fid=360040]

Another key driver in Mason and Chloe’s purchase was the proximity to Norwest Metro, which they called a “game-changer” for living in Norwest.

“The extended Sydney Metro Line is a game-changer for the area, providing greater and faster connectivity from Norwest to the CBD,” Davis said. “The reduced commute times to the CBD and other major business hubs have made Norwest highly attractive from an investment perspective. People can now get to Sydney’s CBD in just over 30 minutes, which for those who rent or live here is important for work-life balance.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94408 project_image_fid=360002]

PRD Norwest Director David Inkster noted that several buyer types, what he describes as ‘investor-occupiers’ like Mason and Chloe, those who invest now and plan to live in the apartment in later years, have been securing apartments based on forecasts of capital growth in properties surrounding Metro stations.

“We’re seeing a growing cohort of buyers who are happy to invest now with the intention of living in the apartment later,” Inkster said. “The Metro has fundamentally changed how people view Norwest, reduced commute times and improved connectivity are driving stronger long-term confidence in the area.”

Recent research supports this view, with data indicating that apartments located along the North West Metro Line have outperformed comparable suburbs over the past decade. Improved transport connectivity has been a key driver, alongside population growth and increasing demand for higher-density housing near stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94408 project_image_fid=360033]

Construction of the 290-unit development by Haitchin Group is approaching completion, and will welcome buyers in mid-2026.

When completed, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/infinity-park-residential-8-maitland-place-norwest-nsw-2153">Infinity Park</a> will comprise three residential buildings: the 25-storey Marque tower and two low-rise buildings, Alpha and Omega, delivering a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94408 project_image_fid=360043]

The development also includes a seven-storey commercial building opposite the residential precinct, featuring strata commercial suites and a rooftop dining venue by chef Joshua Mason.

The residential precinct has been designed by Turner, with a focus on larger apartment formats and shared amenities intended to support long-term occupancy. A resort-style lagoon pool, extensive landscaping, rooftop gardens and communal spaces form the centre of the development, positioning Infinity Park as a lifestyle-led residential offering within Norwest’s evolving town centre.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=94408]

Latent Defects Insurance and Sydney Metro drives buyers to Infinity Park, Norwest

The first stage of Frasers Property Australia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/bradmill-yarraville-355-359-francis-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Bradmill Yarraville</a> has reached completion, marking an early milestone in the long-term regeneration of the former Bradmill denim factory site in Melbourne’s inner west.

Stage one delivers 44 all-electric townhomes designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, forming the initial residential component of the 26-hectare masterplanned neighbourhood, which is set to eventually accommodate around 1,500 homes.

The completed homes comprise three and four-bedroom configurations across two and three levels, responding primarily to family and owner-occupier demand in a suburb where new housing supply has historically been limited.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134727 project_image_fid=356029]

Sustainability has been a defining feature of the first stage, with all residences delivered as fully electric and the broader project holding a 6 Star Green Star Communities rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

Rather than being delivered in isolation, stage one has been designed to integrate with the wider Bradmill Yarraville vision, which places equal emphasis on housing, green space, and shared amenity.&nbsp;

A future landscaped linear park is planned to connect the completed townhomes with neighbouring McIvor Reserve, foreshadowing the open-space network that will ultimately extend across the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134727 project_image_fid=311282]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/frasers-property">Frasers Property Australia</a> has positioned Bradmill as a community-led regeneration project, drawing on the site’s industrial heritage while introducing new residential and social infrastructure.&nbsp;

Future stages will centre around Bradmill Quarter, a mixed-use precinct planned to include a full-line Woolworths Supermarket, childcare and medical services, specialty retail, and hospitality offerings arranged around a central public plaza known as The Arbory.

Adaptive reuse also plays a central role in the broader development, with the heritage-listed Proofing Building and Boiler House earmarked for transformation into resident-focused wellness, co-working, and social spaces under the Bradmill Social banner. These facilities are expected to be delivered progressively as later stages come online.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134727 project_image_fid=311277]

Located around 7.5 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, Bradmill Yarraville sits within an established residential catchment known for its village-scale retail, access to public transport, and proximity to education and open space.&nbsp;

The completion of the first stage signals the transition from planning to lived reality, providing early residents with a foothold in what will become one of the inner west’s largest urban renewal projects over the coming decade.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134727]

Bradmill Yarraville’s first stage townhomes complete as inner-west regeneration takes shape

Bayside remains one of Melbourne’s most resilient residential markets, with its middle-ring suburbs, stretching from Brighton through to Beaumaris, continuing to see strong demand from long-time locals who do not want to leave the region.

While larger homes have long defined the streetscapes, the past few years have brought a clear shift towards smaller-scale, design-led developments tailored to the needs of the Bayside local. According to the latest ABS Census data, nearly 40 per cent of Bayside’s 110,000 residents are over 50. While there is no strictly defined age at which people downsize, 50 is often a point where those who had children in their 30s begin to see them leave the family home.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/noorden">Noorden</a> Real Estate director David Lamond says downsizers make up the majority of his enquiries, with buyers prioritising local amenity and low maintenance over sheer size.

“Those approaching 60 who have been in the property market for two to three decades do not need to wait any longer to downsize,” Lamond says. “They have been through several market cycles, and their homes have multiplied in value four or five times over that period. Good-quality new homes are coming to Bayside, allowing long-time locals to stay in the area while moving into something more manageable and at a small percentage? of the price of their now oversized and under-used family home.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140140 project_image_fid=219620]

All buyers at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/marlu-hampton-29-service-street-hampton-vic-3188">Marlu Hampton</a>, a boutique development of just seven luxury townhomes by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/thomas-constructions">Thomas Constructions</a> and designed by David Dubois, are local downsizers. The substantial homes, offering more than 260 square metres of internal space and a lift servicing all three levels, are attracting multi-generational families as well as households with older children preparing to leave home.

The project’s success is also closely tied to its walkable setting. From Service Street, it is an eight-minute stroll to Hampton’s dog-friendly beach, passing cafés such as Merry Men and Brown Cow, with the Sandringham Yacht Club just beyond. The area is also well served by parks, public and private schools, and the retail amenity of Hampton Street.

Four of the seven townhomes are already spoken for, ahead of their early 2027 completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112854 project_image_fid=350992]

Elsewhere in Bayside, David Lamond is also seeing a different type of downsizer emerge. While many want something only slightly smaller than the family home, others are looking to significantly reduce their footprint.

“There is a cohort of downsizers who truly want to downsize,” David Lamond says. “They are seeking a lock-and-leave apartment where two or three bedrooms, space for entertaining, and a balcony are more than enough. They are redirecting the proceeds from their family home into superannuation, retirement planning or travel, rather than another large home.”

This trend is evident nearby at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lumin-hampton-26-crisp-street-hampton-vic-3188">Luminè</a> on Crisp Street, a development of just 15 two and three-bedroom apartments. Located within walking distance of Hampton Beach and the everyday amenity of Hampton Street, it reflects the same underlying demand driving Marlu: highly liveable homes in familiar territory. Completion at Luminè is scheduled for early 2027, with prices starting from $1,175,000.

Why wait? Two paths to downsizing in Hampton

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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