18-03-2025
Council is pleased to share the results of last year’s Housing Strategy Plan. Survey participants identified several key challenges facing housing in the Upper Lachlan Shire, including:
- The cost of living
- Infrastructure and servicing issues
- Housing affordability
- Difficulties in obtaining Government approvals
- The costs associated with developing land
- Access to housing for seniors
Attributes that make the Upper Lachlan Shire a desirable location for housing and population growth include:
- 21% of respondents believe that lifestyle and community values are key factors.
- 18% place emphasis on the importance of people and community values.
- 13% feel that the sense of safety in the Shire is significant.
- 12% believe the Shire offers a strong sense of place and essential character.
- 11% consider the proximity to nearby major cities and transport routes an important reason for choosing the Shire.
Top 4 Housing Priorities for Upper Lachlan Shire
1. Affordability: 109 survey respondents identified housing affordability as a critical issue.
2. Access to Services: 114 respondents highlighted access to public services as a priority.
3. Quality of Roads: 82 respondents pointed to the quality of streetscapes and road access as essential.
4. Quality of Housing: 81 respondents expressed concerns about housing quality.
Additionally, 23% of survey participants believe that large lot housing is a priority for the Shire, while 20% identified greenfield housing as a significant focus. Furthermore, 17% of respondents noted that the cost of developing land is a primary barrier to new housing growth in the Upper Lachlan Shire, followed closely by the cost of building new houses at 16%.
Locations for New Growth in Upper Lachlan Shire
42% of respondents indicated that new housing growth should concentrate on the three main settlements: Crookwell, Gunning, and Collector. In contrast, 14% of participants believe that all settlement locations should be considered for new housing growth.
In total, 104 surveys were completed, with 93% of the responses coming from community members, 8% from organizations or community groups, and 7% from local builders. The full report is available on the Council’s website.
If you are interested in reviewing the entire report, download here: Upper Lachlan Shire Housing Strategy Survey Statistics