A lot of undeveloped land in Cowra is owned by a small number of people according to a Cowra Shire councillor. Discussing the shire’s draft Cowra Housing Strategy this month councillor Peter Wright said council staff had identified “a large substantial amount of land suitable for residential living in the township of Cowra and the villages” before adding “a lot of the land has been owned by a few people for a long time, that they haven’t developed”. The housing strategy for Cowra is a strategic planning exercise that aims to investigate key issues and trends impacting on housing supply in our local area. It will go on public exhibition from December 20, 2024 through until February 7, 2025. The strategy will provide the mechanism for recommendations to be made in relation to policy changes and other actions impacting housing for future action by local and state governments and other key stakeholders. As an example of land that could be developed for housing which hasn’t been Cr Wright cited Yarrabilly Estate adjacent Sakura Avenue, which the council sold to a private developer. “We owned that land and we wanted it developed for housing (the developer) promised it was going to be developed for housing and it didn’t happen,” Cr Wright said. “We’ll have a strategy for where we can develop and how we can develop. “This is a plan that we need to have to keep up with State Government intentions for more housing, more social housing and cheaper housing. “We’ll have a plan to work from and to talk with people from." “I put it to the community to have a look at it and see if they can find a way to make it better,” Cr Wright said." Speaking also in support of the strategy which council hopes will stimulate much needed additional housing in Cowra, Cr Tony Horton described it as “a significant piece of work “What we have now is a discussion piece that we can use with the community for the next couple of months to elicit their responses, their reactions, their thoughts, their input. “This draft strategy talks about infill opportunities, greenfield opportunities, rezoning opportunities, social and affordable housing and illustrates opportunities for a greater mix of housing available in the shire. (But) “Where the rubber hits the road is getting things brought to market and that is always going to be the challenge. “But you have to have the conversation started in the first place and this document does that,” Cr Horton said. Recently released data by the NSW Government projects positive population and dwelling growth in Cowra, with an additional 1,606 persons expected over the next 20 year period translating to a likely demand for 1,193 new dwellings. As part of the strategy Cowra Council staff identified 11 areas in the township which are already zoned for residential development, but which remain in an undeveloped or partially undeveloped state. One of the areas, in South Taragala, received approval 50 years ago. The analysis carried out by staff shows that there is approximately 150 hectares of land that is already zoned R1 General Residential and available for subdivision and / or housing growth in Cowra. The data also shows that this land equates to approximately 30 years of housing supply, assuming full development of each lot according to approved plans and or assumed lot yield scenarios, and assuming all new dwellings in Cowra Local Government are constructed in these locations. Despite approvals having been issued for the subdivision of key growth precincts, the evidence suggests that landowners / developers are either ‘sitting idle on approvals’ and / or ‘land-banking’ (a strategy where land is purchased by investors with the intention of holding onto it until it appreciates in value. The precincts (see map) identified in the plan are: • 1. Bellevue Ridge which runs between the Canowindra Road and Binni Creek Road; • 2. Chardonnay Hills Estate which is off Pridham Street; • 3. Pridham Street Northern Precinct which runs alongside Canowindra Road; • 4. Pridham Street Southern Precinct which borders Pridham Street and Victor Street; • 5. Duffey Avenue • 6. Valley View Estate off London Drive; • 7. Yarrabilly Urban Release Area running alongside Sakura Avenue; • 8. Mirage Drive in West Cowra; • 9. 72 Grenfell Road; • 10 South Taragala • The Waugoola Urban Release Area which is near the former Wool Top Plant off Darbys Falls Road. The potential lot yield for each of the sites, according to Council, is 79 lots on Bellevue Ridge, 205 on Chardonnay Hills, 108 on Pridham Street North, 36 on Pridham Street South, 18 on Duffey Avenue, 17 on Valley View Estate, 397 on Yarrabilly Estate, 40 on Mirage Drive, 39 on 72 Grenfell Road, 108 on South Taragala and 71 on the Waugoola Release Area. Council staff also identified 75 vacant lots in the existing R5 Large Lot zone that are ‘development-ready’ and capable of accommodating a new residential dwelling and 34 lots that could potentially be created by the subdivision of R5 zoned lots under current minimum lot size controls in the Cowra LEP 2012. In addition there are 704 lots throughout the township that could potentially be created by the subdivision of R5 zoned lots if the servicing limitations were removed from current minimum lot size controls in the Cowra LEP 2012.
