Business NSW backs plan for more housing near railway stations

Business NSW has applauded the addition of Woy Woy train station to the State Government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) sites.

“Business NSW has been advocating for all major stations on the Central Coast, including well known commuting station Woy Woy, to be included in the rezoning as part of its Housing Now campaign,” Regional Director Scott Goold said.

“A key element of this campaign has been to fast-track housing around train stations and corridors so people can work closer to where they live.”

Central Coast TOD train stations now include Gosford, Tuggerah, Woy Woy and Wyong.

“Woy Woy is a welcome addition to the other nominated stations at Gosford, Wyong and Tuggerah,” Goold said.

“This is a big win for the Coast.

“We know we have an acute shortage of affordable housing.

“Our business conditions survey also identified housing affordability as a major barrier for Central Coast businesses attracting skilled workers.

“More and more businesses on the Central Coast are reporting that their staff are now travelling for more than an hour each way to get to work.

“Historically, we associated long commutes with Coasties needing to travel to Sydney or Newcastle.

“Now, workers are needing to live further away from our key commercial precincts and experiencing these commutes within our own region.”

Goold said the TOD initiative would mean the development of a new State Environment Planning Policy to increase the capacity for more mid-rise housing and mixed-use development within 400m of the four identified Central Coast train stations and town centres.

“The TOD initiative will allow more Central Coast workers to live within walking distance of the train line and bus routes and potentially for more workers to actually walk to work,” he said.

The government is also mandating a minimum two per cent affordable housing contribution on new developments in these locations.

The affordable housing contribution will gradually increase over time to make sure essential workers like health workers, teachers and hospitality workers can live closer to work.

“The affordable housing contribution is a critical element of the TOD initiative,” Goold said.

“Housing closer to where people work is critical, but it also needs to be affordable.

“Low to medium income earners need to live in the communities they support.”