North Coast

The North Coast Regional Plan 2041 included an action to undertake an employment land review for the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast subregions (combined to form the North Coast) to assess future supply needs and locations.

• Northern Rivers (LGA) – Tweed, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore,  Ballina and Richmond Valley
• Mid North Coast (LGA) –  Port Macquarie – Hastings, Kempsey, Nambucca, Bellingen, Coffs Harbour and  Clarence Valley.

To meet this requirement NSW DPE commissioned HillPDA to undertake an employment land audit and provide a clearer understanding of the need for additional employment land and the suitability of the available stocks for the North Coast region. The investigation of additional land stocks was limited to land within the urban growth areas and investigation areas identified in the draft North Coast Regional Plan 2041.

Specific key elements of the study included:

• Review of State and local planning policies and strategies
• Socio-demographic review
• Market trends
• Land use audit by LGA
• Profile of employment lands by LGA (development status, lot sizes)
• Employment land demand assessment across each LGA
• Constraints analysis on existing and future vacant land stocks
• Identification and analysis/suitability of future land stocks
• Stakeholder engagement.

Project outcome

The final study provided a clear, concise and visual understanding as to the current supply and status of employment land stocks across the Northern Coast and its various LGAs. The study also projected the demand for additional employment land needs to accommodate the projected growth in employment and the capacity of the Region to accommodate this demand. Where there existing land stocks were not sufficient, we identified locations for the future precinct with the site undergoing a constraints analysis and suitability analysis to better identify the most suitable locations.

Services:

• Policy review and alignment
• Strategic context
• Market trends
• Socio-demographic review
• Land use audit
• Employment land profile
• Employment land demand
• Constraints analysis
• Identification of future land stocks
• Stakeholder engagement.

Client: Department of Planning and Environment
Project year:  2023

For more information, contact Nicholas Hill, Principal