Residents have their say on future housing development

Kempsey Shire Council

An aerial shot of South West Rocks

Experts predict the Kempsey Shire population to grow by 5,421 people by 2041 and community were asked to provide their input on how this growth should be managed.

In January 2022, both the draft Local Housing Strategy and South West Rocks Structure Plan were placed on public exhibition seeking feedback on the future of housing development in the shire.

Of this growth, South West Rocks is forecast to accommodate 56% of all new dwellings in the Kempsey Shire and for this reason, Council developed a draft South West Rock Structure Plan. The aim of this plan was to provide a clear roadmap for the growth while taking into account the values the community cherish and want to sustain.

During the exhibition period, the draft Local Housing Strategy received 144 submission and the South West Rocks Structure Plan received a substantial 414 submissions.

We appreciate the time and effort community took to provide the valuable input. This will be reviewed and included in the draft Local Growth Management Strategy, which will be on public exhibition in late 2022.

The Local Growth Management Strategy is a key strategic document that forecasts the projected population and employment growth of the shire over the next 20 years as well as how and where this growth will be accommodated.

Although the draft documents are no longer open for exhibition, you can view them on Your Say Macleay

/Public Release. View in full here.