Property Council ACT & Capital Region Executive Director Ashlee Berry said Planning Minister Chris Steel's comments to the Legislative Assembly this week demonstrated the power of the Property Council's strong advocacy and evidence-based policy.
"We've made consistent calls for urgent zoning reforms to unlock missing middle housing in Canberra, and it's fantastic to see the government now taking action," Ms Berry said.
"Our research, released in August 2024, showed that thoughtful rezoning could deliver nearly 60,000 new homes-helping to meet demand, make better use of existing infrastructure, and provide more housing choice for Canberrans at every stage of life.
"The Planning Minister's comments about plans to allow larger-scale medium-density housing in well-located areas close to services, shops and transport are a major step towards making the vision we outlined a reality," she said.
The ACT Government has committed to allowing a greater diversity of housing in existing suburbs, including townhouses, duplexes, terraces, and walk-up apartments in RZ1 zones - key recommendations of the Property Council's 2024 report.
"Canberra's population is growing rapidly, and our current planning system simply isn't keeping up," Ms Berry said.
"By unlocking more housing with these reforms, more people will have the opportunity to live where they want without being pushed to the fringes.
"While full details are yet to be announced, we look forward to working closely with the government to realise the full potential of these reforms, and to get the planning settings right to deliver real outcomes for housing supply and affordability," Ms Berry said.
