Council is making steady progress on a draft Growth Management and Housing Strategy (GMHS), which will shape where we will live and work across the Tweed over the next 20 years.
The strategy will guide how the Tweed prepares for its possible projected population increase of some 30,000 residents and a workforce expansion of 11,000 by 2041.*
Last year, at the initial stages of research, Council asked the community how they saw the future of the Tweed in relation to how it will adapt and grow over the next 20 years.
From this earlier community consultation, 10 key considerations were identified to guide the planning of future housing supply and employment growth.
These considerations relate to things such as supporting sustainable development, matching planned growth with the provision of services and building resilience to natural hazards such as floods and bushfires.
Council is now asking the community to review the 10 key considerations and comment on what a future Tweed might look like, based on three questions:
- Where will we live?
- Where will we work?
- What will our neighbourhoods look like?
Council’s Director Planning and Regulation Denise Galle said ensuring the Tweed adapts to growth in a considered way, that aligns with community values and needs, is one of Council’s top priorities.
“Preparing a draft GMHS is not just about building more houses and employment areas,” Ms Galle said.
“It’s about careful and considered planning that ensures we evolve in a way that sustains the things that make the Tweed such a wonderful place to call home.
“There is no doubt the Tweed is a popular place to live. With a growing population of more than 97,000 we are one of the fastest growing local government areas in NSW.
“While a highly desirable destination, our region is limited in suitable available land to support a rapidly growing population and like many areas across the nation, we are also experiencing a housing crisis.
“Council is looking at many different data sets to prepare for future growth and has already begun offering a more diverse range of housing types to meet demand, including smaller homes for more single-person households and homes that better suit an ageing and more diverse population.
“As we look ahead, it’s important we carefully manage the Tweed’s growth in a way that provides housing and employment opportunities while supporting community needs and our quality of life.
“To do this, we need community input and to check in with residents to make sure we are on the right track,” she said.
Early next year, Council will move onto the next phase of the Draft Strategy where an Options Paper will be available for the community to review. This paper will provide details of housing options and employment growth opportunities. The key considerations will lay the foundation for what options will be presented.
