There’s no doubt about it: Greater Sydney is in dire need of a solution to the housing crisis.
Housing affordability, rental prices growing faster than wage increases, slow building approvals and a general lack of supply to meet the demand are all contributing factors that make Sydney one of the most difficult places in the world to find somewhere to live.
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Since the government launched the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, there have been considerable developments in ensuring that new build housing projects are moved to the top of the approvals list.
However, in Northern Sydney’s suburb of Ingleside, a proposed development of 536 new dwellings has been met with some pushback from locals due to concerns over bushfire risks.
The Wilga Wilson Precinct residential development was first proposed in 2016, but by 2018 a report revealed the area was susceptible to “extreme to catastrophic bushfire risk.”
The development was then resubmitted in 2021 and once again thrown out in 2022 due to concerns over bushfire evacuation procedures.
Now, in 2025, the proposal is back on the table – with 133 houses, 210 terrace houses and 193 apartments included in the residential development plans – but not everyone in the community is happy about it.
Dick Clarke from Elanora Heights Residents Association told Northside Living News he has concerns not enough has been done to address the bushfire risks.
“Nothing substantive (on bushfire risk) has changed,” he said. “So the question must be asked – if it failed bushfire evacuation standards last time, why is such an increase in (housing) density even being proposed now?
We all agree more affordable housing is needed, but not at any cost. Balance is the key in all things, and this proposal fails on a number of counts, not just the bushfire issue.”
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Proposals like the Wilga Wilson Precinct residential development are being presented at the same time as the NSW Government putting forward a bill that would help speed up the developer approvals process.
The public was encouraged to provide feedback on this development to ensure all community voices were heard.