Future developments in the district must be thoughtfully planned with harmony, taste, and understanding, rather than solely focusing on “chasing rate dollars”.

This was the key message from mayor Patrick Ross to the Naracoorte Lucindale Council as elected members began discussions on a crucial issue—the draft housing strategy—last week.

The district’s draft housing strategy – authored by CEO Trevor Smart and manager planning Paul McRostie – was presented to the council in November last year.

A workshop was planned to allow elected members to contribute insights and help shape future priorities.

Mr Ross emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach, stating, “the key to any strategy, including housing and future development, is to consider the short-term, medium-term, and most importantly, the long-term perspective.”

He highlighted the importance of looking 50 years ahead.

“We have gathered a wealth of data, but a strategy needs to emerge from it with clear, actionable steps. Over the next 12 months, I believe we can develop a strategy with concrete, practical initiatives to move forward,” Mr Ross added.

At the start of the discussion, Mr Smart acknowledged that the housing shortage was not just specific to Naracoorte.

“Housing shortages are affecting communities across Australia. What sets us apart is our commitment to supporting our local community and developing our own solutions,” Mr Smart said.

He said through the strategic plan and reactions, the council would be able to identify where growth can, or should occur, and identify future opportunities.

“The draft housing strategy provides an overview of our current housing and land situation, and where growth opportunities are likely to be,” he said.

“As you have read in the strategy, generally, preferred build is on the north south corridor, but also, we have an urban infield opportunity such as the current 88 vacant allotments spread right across, and further subdivision of 69 allotments, which gives us a total of 157 allotments without further supply.

“Within the strategy, focus is on where the opportunities are and also focus on what the council’s role could be, or should be, or can be.

“Generally, that can be an asset owner, in other words, we own the land. Currently we (council) don’t own land that is zoned, and appropriate for residential.

“We can be a facilitator, a regulator, give approval for housing and further developments, and we can also play the role of advocate, so, new subdivisions that may have issue with Native Vegetation, SA Water, SA power networks, we can help those people advocate through various agencies and states for better outcomes,” Mr Smart said.

Mr McRostie said the data for the draft housing strategy was collected through consultations and engagements with banks and real estate agents, focusing on the grassroots fundamentals.

“The strategy is the facts, and the data that we have got, we have been talking to banks, talking to local real estates, they are the grassroots fundamentals,” Mr McRostie said.

“We have spoken to every real estate agent in Naracoorte, and they have given us comments on where the current market sits,” he said.

Mr McRostie said the strategy was like “a crystal ball”.

“The strategy isn’t going to be a silver bullet. We are not going to have one straight answer at this that’s going to fix the housing problems in Naracoorte.”

He explained that the draft strategy revealed infrastructure costs—such as SA Water, roads, and power networks—as the primary obstacles hindering housing developments in the area.

Adding his bit to the discussion, Cr Tom Dennis explained his experience of living in the community.

“Observing documents and living in the community for 20 years, you can see how the town evolves, and aspirational families sell their house in town, and build on the outskirts of the town, and that lowers the value of houses in town, (which) is (then) occupied by the next generation – and to think that we are going to go up (expand housing) in the middle of town is probably not a viable output, I think,” Cr Dennis said.

“As we go out, we see this happening on the Keith side of town. There are quite a number of houses going up, and typically young families, 40 to 50, stepping out of their first home, and saving up their two-hectare block to build their dream house, and then that house becomes available in town.

“So, if we are to evolve our housing space, as we develop the outskirts of town, we also create homes in the middle of the town for the town to grow as well,” he said.

Cr Craig McGuire said the council needed to own land for town residential expansion.

“If you look at some of the houses being built around Bushlark, there are some beautiful homes there, and people are coming in off land, and investing good money and wanting to build in town because of hospital, schools, so, not everybody wants those one hectare blocks, and I guess my concern is if we continue to let the ridge grow, like we have the Hollywood Springs, where we have got one hectare blocks, and it grows north and south, we are not allowing anywhere for the town to expand,” Cr McGuire said.

He acknowledged suburban development did free up housing space, but stressed the importance of long-term planning.

Cr McGuire said for a 50-year plan—or even a 100-year plan—he wanted the council to think ahead.

“We need more residential blocks for town expansion,” he said.

Cr McGuire argued that if the council owned land, it could develop neighbourhood zones and control infrastructure development.

“We can then build inroads and if we subdivide a section, and sell it to developers, we can actually help with infrastructure, we can do it gradually – over 50 years,” he said.

“Asset owner is something that we really need to talk about. I think we have to look at, somehow, purchasing land.”

Cr Abigail Goodman advocated for a planned approach.

“I want to return to the idea of the two-and-half hectare block that then gets divided up, and growth occurring that way,” Cr Goodman said.

“I think that is what happens, but that is the unplanned approach. We haven’t planned for appropriate infrastructure, we have to upgrade roads and lands that we have originally identified, and at what point we need sewerage and water – that’s an unplanned approach that can lead to problems down the track,” she said.

Cr Damien Ross urged the council to define its role in addressing housing challenges.

“I think what we need to be prepared for is that there is going to be an easing (interest rates), so all of a sudden, we are going to have, not necessarily a vacant land issue at the moment, but I think that can change as things start to evolve and gets easier for people to borrow to build,” he claimed.

Cr Ross suggested that lower interest rates would also impact house prices.

“So, what we need is to sort out what we want to do, what role we want to be playing.

“We don’t have the ability to go and buy the land, and I don’t think we should be doing that as a council. I think our role here is to help advocate for whatever it is.”

Cr Darren Turner called for a clear identification of impediments to development.

“Impediments could be affordability, red or green tape associated with it….the impediments would stop Naracoorte becoming what it could be,” Cr Turner said.

“I think we need to understand impediments a bit more, we need to rate them, and workout what we are going to advocate for to overcome, because if we are identified as government’s centralised facility for the Limestone Coast, we need to be shovel-ready when the money is available,” he said.

Cr Cameron Grundy noted the high demand for housing and suggested that council consider future zoning outcomes.

Cr Monique Crossling advocated for an independent review of the housing strategy.

“I am thinking of getting fresh advice, having someone who has completely different feedback,” Cr Crossling said.

She reflected on making actionable plans to purchase land from the state government, highlighting concerns about the possibility of developers acquiring land from the state government without council oversight.

“I think from the community, where we don’t have no control of it – that stops no developer from going to the state government, kissing arse, sucking up to any MP they know, and somehow buying that land from underneath us,” Cr Crossling said.

“So, I think we need to be very careful with that, whether or not…things can happen without the consent of the council.”

Cr Trevor Rayner suggested the council should buy and develop land.

“I think we need to buy some land and develop it. Go through all the hurdles, and we are the only developer that gets an income from it after we have done it,” he said.

As a next step, the council agreed to several follow-up actions, including an independent review of development opportunities, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis and data assessment, the formation of a think tank, and an evaluation of the market value of available land for development.

The next steps will begin in March when the council’s new CEO takes office.

This article appeared in the Naracoorte News.