Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Politics
Jack Gramenz

Mayor waits for second meeting after housing criticism

Ku-ring-gai Council has a responsibility to assist with the housing challenge, Paul Scully says. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

The mayor of the most well-off NSW council targeted for increased development by the state government is hoping for a second meeting with the planning minister as fingers start to point.

The NSW government announced that six more train stations, in Canterbury-Bankstown, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast local government areas, are in line for higher-density dwellings within 400 metres of train stations.

The development program, announced in December, affects 37 train stations in 13 areas, although more could still be added.

Four of those stations are in Ku-ring-gai Council, which has eight train stations and voted unanimously in February to reject the changes over concerns about infrastructure, heritage properties and other issues.

Premier Chris Minns said the area had capacity for extra homes and a responsibility to do its part.

"We can't be in a situation where the 12 other councils negotiated with the NSW government in good faith to get greater density in their communities and one council says we don't want anything, refuses to meet (and) gets a free pass," he said on Friday.

Ku-ring-gai mayor Sam Ngai disputes that is the case.

Handwriting on a typed letter to Planning Minister Paul Scully on Friday, seen by AAP, Mr Ngai wrote that he was "still waiting for our second meeting" after being excluded from one in March.

"Our staff conveyed to your staff that the councillors had limited appetite for the rushed time frame without proper planning and consultation," Mr Ngai said of that meeting.

Mr Ngai wrote in response to a Thursday letter from Mr Scully, as the government was preparing an announcement of the additional stations, applauding the councils "that have worked collaboratively".

"I was disappointed to learn Ku-ring-gai Council has not provided any options to the department in response to my offer on flexibility of commencement, or options for local planning work to be completed prior to the commencement of (the policy)," Mr Scully's letter says.

In response, Mr Ngai wrote the council had received little state support as it sought to resolve traffic and liveability concerns to support thousands of new dwellings.

"I genuinely want to work with the state government to enable the delivery of more well-located, well-built and well-designed homes for the future residents of NSW but it has to be on reasonable and just terms," Mr Ngai wrote.

Mr Scully said Ku-ring-gai had benefited from significant investment in transport infrastructure.

"That investment also comes with a responsibility to assist with the housing challenge and confronting the housing crisis," he said on Friday.

Ku-ring-gai is the third most advantaged local government area in the nation, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the most well-off of the 13 councils targeted for increased density.

The two areas more advantaged than Ku-ring-gai, Mosman and Woollahra, have one train station between them and are not affected by the policy. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.