Patrick Fensham’s Post

Build to Rent – the time is now for a national effort on planning policy In light of the Government’s recent review of the London Plan and the consultation on further changes to the NPPF, the focus has been sharpened on the regions and their contribution towards meeting housing needs. The 20 largest cities and urban centres across England are already subject to an ‘urban uplift’, i.e. a 35% increase to their standard method housing need figures, but the proposed changes will result in the presumption in favour of sustainable development being triggered in respect of previously developed land where Housing Delivery Test performance drops below 95% in these local authority areas. The consultation also proposes to add significant weight to the delivery as many homes as possible on brownfield land, whilst taking a flexible approach to internal layout. See Alan Hughes full blog here: https://lnkd.in/d9yE59Fz

In the context of a challenging period for the residential development industry, the Build to Rent (BtR) market continues to go from strength to strength. Savills report that the sector generated £4.5 billion of investment during 2023 – the second highest year on record. This asset class, sometimes undervalued for its ability to deliver homes, can deliver homes at scale, regenerate brownfield sites and assist in the repurposing in many of our biggest towns and cities. Alan Hughes at Lichfields UK has produced a paper to assess the level of policy support in those 20 largest cities and urban centres and calls for further planning coordinated recognition of this important asset class.

A new report by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has today highlighted serious failings in the past ten years of planning policy, which has made little to no impact on new build homes being less car dependent. The report, which analysed 1.6 million new homes, found that only 26% of new builds in rural areas are within 45 minutes of a hospital via public transport, and although 96% of total new homes are within a 20-minute drive of a town centre, only 66% have the same access via public transport and only 47% on foot. The report calls for these concerns to be recognised as part of the Government's new NPPF. https://lnkd.in/eNPebJwM

The past decade of housing development in England has underscored a persistent disconnect between new residential developments and access to effective public transport. Despite the rise in housing numbers, these developments often remain poorly connected to public transportation and other essential services, as highlighted by the Royal Town Planning Institute's (RTPI) report just published. This disconnect has significant implications as it encourages car dependency, contributes to traffic congestion, and undermines both environmental and social sustainability goals. The RTPI's findings point to critical regional and rural-urban disparities, with London developments generally closer to services, while areas like the South West and East of England experience much longer travel times to key destinations. Alarmingly, the majority of new homes continue to favour car accessibility over more sustainable transport options, highlighting a systemic issue that can only be addressed through a whole-system approach. The RTPI advocates a reform to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to address this, aiming to integrate housing location, transport infrastructure and land use more effectively. A whole-system approach, which I often advocate, is essential in addressing these complex issues. By viewing housing, transport and urban planning as interconnected, we can create cohesive policies that support sustainable living. This approach would enable planners and policymakers to move beyond piecemeal solutions, ensuring housing developments are not only well-placed but also supportive of public transport networks and active travel. Such an integrated strategy would help reduce car dependency, improve regional accessibility and create healthier, more resilient communities. LandTech, Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom, Dr Victoria Hills MRTPI FICE FRSA MCMI CMgr, #publictransport, #systemthinking https://lnkd.in/e9bEQZ-T

Is the Suburban Rail Loop a housing project? An interesting messaging pivot from the Victorian Government around SRL in response to the growing #housingcrisis. SRL East is said to support 70,000 new homes across the six stations. But is it really a response to the housing issue we face now? The first SRL station won't open until 2034 at the earliest. Planning Scheme changes are expected much sooner, likely at the end of 2026, early 2027. The thesis around investing in these precincts only follows infrastructure investment, it doesn't lead. Therefore relatively little, if any, new development would be expected until well into the mid-2030s. It's also disingenuous to call it 70,000 additional homes. Many of these precincts could have already supported quite a lot of housing under existing planning settings, i.e. Box Hill, Glen Waverley. The truth is a tiny proportion of the 70k are likely to be built during the #housingstatement period, and it's questionable how much of that will be specifically catalysed by SRL We might unlock some extra dwellings in 10+ years time, but it will make it harder to deliver meaningful new #housingsupply in the interim, especially in the apartment sector. And I've explained in great detail why #apartment #development won't be the solution to scale housing supply in the mid-term - especially not at the affordable end. Ultimately, pointing to SRL as the solution to solving housing is not washing with Victorians, as the RedBridge Group Australia polling clearly demonstrates. And I think they are 100% right. 🤔 In the meantime we wait to see what actual, #feasible housing supply is unlocked - and soon. Department of Transport and Planning Suburban Rail Loop Authority The Australian Financial Review Gus McCubbing Kosmos Samaras Harriet Shing UDIA Victoria Property Council Victoria

On the Northern Beaches, areas such as Mona Vale, Warriewood, Narrabeen, Dee Why, and Manly are beginning to see developers take advantage of increased height limits allowed by NSW planning reforms. These changes include allowing mid-rise apartment blocks of up to six storeys in R3 medium-density zones, particularly near town centres and transport hubs. Additionally, some areas zoned as R2 (low-density residential) will now permit dual occupancies, terraces, and two-storey apartment buildings, which could lead to redevelopment and consolidation of landholdings. Key affected areas include: • Mona Vale: Previously dominated by two-storey homes, parts of Mona Vale could see redevelopment into six-storey buildings, especially in areas like the Woodlands Estate, close to the town centre. • Warriewood: This area, currently featuring detached and semi-detached homes, is likely to experience an increase in medium-rise developments of three to four storeys. • Dee Why, Frenchs Forest, and Manly: These areas are expected to see more mid-rise developments as part of the broader government strategy to increase housing density across the Northern Beaches. These reforms have raised concerns from the local council about infrastructure challenges and the impact on the character of the region, but the state government views them as necessary to address the ongoing housing crisis in Sydney .

The Head of Cities Studio at CA members Mott MacDonald makes some valid points in this opinion piece on developing new towns. Oliver Steele writes in response to the government's plans to meet the UK’s housing needs which include new town developments. He sets out how in order for this to be a success consideration needs to be given to: 🗺️ location 🚌 place-led development 🧩 joined-up planning 🤝 a genuine partnership between the public and private sectors. "In order to secure public support and meet our sustainability objectives, new developments will need to be less car dependent and built around public transport and active travel." Read more 👇 https://ow.ly/sLjV50SXsF4 #Housing #NewTowns #Development #PartnershipWorking

A significant shift in the property development space in NSW is imminent. Commencing April 2024, the new Transport Oriented Development State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) will enact substantial amendments to the current planning controls within a 400-meter radius of 31 pivotal metro and rail stations. The primary objective? Facilitating the construction of affordable housing options within convenient proximity to public transit nodes. The key provisions will allow, within a 400-metre radius of the 31 pre-determined stations: ·        residential flat buildings across all residential zones (R1, R2, R3, and R4) ·        residential flat buildings and shop top housing in local and community centres (E1 and E2) The Government hopes these changes will create an additional 138,000 new residences over the next 15 years. In addition to the above, the Government is also mandating a compulsory minimum allocation of 2% affordable housing within all forthcoming developments within the specified locales. Yesterday, speaking at the UDIA NSW Luncheon held at Parliament House, Paul Scully, NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, elaborated on these changes, noting that the primary focus of this new SEPP was to streamline development approvals and capitalise on future development opportunities by establishing a non-refusal standard for Council, whilst still allowing for unique development and maintaining history and integrity of communities. He emphasised this initiative was about collaborating with Councils, not dictating to them, with the shared and united focus being to get keys in doors. Whether this is reality remains to be seen. Personally, I very keenly await to see how this unfolds next month and beyond (the popcorn will be out). The Government-issued explanatory notes can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gshTftAe

Arvo #RealEstateDevelopers. Some good news on the Aussie housing crisis: a fresh report shows there’s potential to build over three million medium-density homes in our capital cities. Think townhouses, duplexes, and triplexes—affordable, efficient, and well-located options that could be a game changer for urban living. 🔑 The key takeaway? Nearly 60% of these homes could be built within two kilometres of train stations, maximising access to transport and existing infrastructure. Melbourne leads the pack with potential for over 1.1 million new dwellings, followed by Sydney with 934,000 possible homes. Local government areas like Mornington Peninsula (Melbourne) and Canterbury-Bankstown (Sydney) are hotspots for medium-density growth. In these regions, existing zoning rules and development precedents make it possible to build multiple homes on available land without drastically changing the neighbourhood’s character. What does this mean for developers? 1. Tackle housing demand: Medium-density projects could address Australia’s housing shortage without leaning too heavily on high-rise developments. 2. Leverage existing infrastructure: Densification along transport corridors offers convenience and value. 3. Opportunities for growth: With government targets set at 1.2 million new homes by 2031, medium-density developments are ripe for investment. But here’s the catch: Experts warn that achieving these numbers won’t be easy. Private developers face slim profit margins on replacing detached housing with medium-density projects, making government intervention essential in some cases. Could public-private partnerships or innovative funding models be the answer? What do you think? Let us know in the comments. #HousingSolutions #AustralianProperty #MediumDensity #UrbanGrowth #RealEstateOpportunities #SustainableLiving #ArcaniteInsights

The new Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) announcement last week currently appears to be just that – another announcement. We understand that the details of how this “Troika” will work are yet to be confirmed and still being fleshed out. Nevertheless, development approvals of this size (over $60M) in a big city like Sydney will always require a rigorous amount of investigation, evaluation and review of detailed criteria provided – no matter the amount of resources to hand. Apart from a few developments significant to the Minns Government – we also believe that developments utilising the HDA pathway will still be required to conduct an extensive Expressions of Interest (EOI) application before effectively getting in line and working through the process (sound familiar?) While we advocate for proper strategic planning processes and don’t support rent-seeking initiatives like this one – we think it's only fair that when proponents benefit from a large windfall gain that they share some of this value back with the community. So, we had a think about some of the mandatory criteria we believe the government should include in the HDA’s EOI application process. Here's the quick list we came up with: -> Net improvement in social infrastructure provision beyond existing levels -> High frequency train or express bus connections -> Walking and cycling connections -> Design excellence, so that these big developments stand the test of time  -> Best practice sustainable development e.g. fully electric developments, high provision of EV charging, bike storage and car share -> Higher provision of family friendly apartment living, with a high proportion of 3BR mix and large common areas -> 15% affordable housing quotas, in perpetuity What other criteria do you believe the government should make mandatory for these big developments? We’d love to know what you think. #HousingAffordability #HousingDeliveryAuthority #AffordableHousing #SustainableDevelopment #DesignExcellence #PaulScully #ChrisMinns NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Paul Scully Kiersten Fishburn Scott Farlow Sue Higginson Photo: Newmarket, Randwick. A state-significant development (approved by the Joint Regional Planning Panel) that meets some of our criteria.