Council is developing a Housing Strategy to guide the ongoing growth and prosperity of our region.
To ensure it aligns with the needs and vision of our community, Council conducted community engagement from August to October 2024 during the preparation of the Draft Mid-Western Region Housing Strategy.
Mid-Western Regional Council is pleased to announce the public exhibition of the Draft Mid-Western Region Housing Strategy, developed with funding supported from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. The exhibition of the document is a key milestone and the result of over 12 months of project work.
A Housing Strategy is a strategic planning exercise that investigates the issues and trends impacting housing supply in our local areas, explores local housing preferences, provides a supply and demands analysis, and identifies actions to support the delivery of the appropriate amount of housing within the required time frame. The Strategy will ultimately guide the quantity, location, and type of residential development within the Mid-Western LGA.
The Draft Mid-Western Region Housing Strategy focuses on the Mudgee, Gulgong, Rylstone, and Kandos townships and provides a series of recommendations and guidance on key issues relating to housing affordability, social and affordable housing, housing diversity, and the required supporting infrastructure.
The Draft Housing Strategy was on public exhibition from 21 of February 2025 until 21 of March 2025. Council invited all interested persons to review the Draft Housing Strategy and provide their feedback. The Draft Housing Strategy placed on public exhibition document can be downloaded below.
To view the draft Mid-Western Region Housing Strategy, click here(PDF, 9MB).
Frequently Asked Questions
The Strategy identifies ‘residential growth areas’ and articulates the opportunity for infill development within the existing urban footprint to accommodate population growth. Residential growth areas are land zoned, not yet developed and land identified under the Mid-Western Comprehensive Land Use Strategy 2010. These areas were the subject of a constraints analysis for suitability and theoretical lot yield was examined and determined.
The Strategy proposes changes to the Mid-Western Regional Local Environmental Plan 2012 for the purpose of providing a mix of minimum lot sizes in certain residential zones, to allow for additional dwelling potential and a more efficient use of land.
The Housing Strategy includes ‘Actions’ to ensure the changes to the predicted housing demand and local desired outcomes are appropriately addressed through a variety of means and modes. This may include changes to the Mid-Western Regional Local Environmental Plan 2012 and inclusions in the future Development Control Plan. It will also highlight, through the nominated residential growth areas where infrastructure upgrades or new infrastructure should be provided to cater for change and growth.
The development of land for residential purposes in urban areas requires connection to key infrastructure, including roads, footpaths, water and sewer, which requires identification within Council’s key servicing documents. Council has committed to progressing water and sewer servicing strategies to align with the residential growth areas identified in this Strategy, to support the anticipated growth of Mudgee, Gulgong, Rylstone and Kandos.
The Housing Strategy is a key strategic document Council relies on for the orderly release of additional residential land to accommodate anticipated future growth. The Housing Strategy works alongside other legislation including the Mid-Western LEP and the Mid-Western Development Control Plan. The Housing Strategy does not permit any additional land use that is not already permissible.
Council will consider all feedback contained in the written submissions received during the public exhibition period and then report those submissions to Council, along with the Draft Housing Strategy (including any necessary amendments) seeking adoption.