Given the ongoing demand for residential property that Australia will likely face over coming years, it is excellent to see the progress being made in some areas of the country towards achieving not just the construction of new projects, but the redevelopment of otherwise unutilised residential space.
Promise for such progress was seen in South Australia recently, where the state's Premier, Jay Weatherill, announced the establishment of a new urban development authority which will oversee all urban renewal projects from their outset.
The new body will bring together the agencies responsible for land and housing development, and will work in conjunction with local communities to reinvent the cities, suburbs and towns of South Australia.
In announcing the authority, Jay Weatherill said that the Government had very high expectations for urban renewal projects and as such it was crucial that such efforts are properly co-ordinated from the outset. According to Mr Weatherill, a single body which will have responsibility for all urban renewable projects across Adelaide is the best way to achieve such an aim.
"Our great ambition is to provide a housing system where people can afford to buy or rent in their own community and this new authority is the best way for Government to facilitate this," said Mr Weatherill.
A taskforce is currently working on machinery of Government changes to provide the best model for the new authority.
I commend South Australia on taking steps forward to make the planning and implementation of urban renewal projects easier and more efficient with the announcement of this urban development authority. Ideally this endeavour will allow the Government to work with local communities to ensure that the potential inherent in the redevelopment of previously unused spaces is maximised, hopefully revitalising the state and improving levels of housing affordability.