Property Council NSW Executive Director Anita Hugo made the call ahead of the region's flagship start-of-year property forum – the Property Council Hunter Outlook - taking place today at NEX Newcastle.
"The Hunter has real momentum, but catalyst precincts won't deliver at scale without planning certainty and enabling infrastructure that is funded and sequenced properly," Ms Hugo said.
The Property Council's pre-Budget submission calls for funding in 2026-27 to update the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan and properly integrate emerging catalyst sites, plus resources for infrastructure planning, delivery governance, Pattern Book alignment, and workforce transition.
The submission highlights the Broadmeadow Place Strategy as a priority initiative that can deliver up to 20,000 new homes and 15,000 jobs, alongside major sports and entertainment facilities.
"We need to keep Broadmeadow moving, including planning and delivery resourcing and early investment in key supporting projects such as light rail expansion, a new entertainment centre, and housing delivery on government sites," Ms Hugo said.
"Broadmeadow is exactly the kind of renewal NSW needs – a well-located precinct with the capacity to deliver homes and jobs at scale, but only if government backs delivery."
The submission also recommends reinstating a dedicated Newcastle Mines Grouting Fund to remove barriers caused by mine subsidence, which the Property Council says is stalling at least 1,500 apartments and represents more than $51 million in forgone stamp duty revenue.
"The Mines Grouting Fund is a practical fix with a clear payoff. Without it, viable infill projects stay stuck. With it, we unlock apartments and get revenue flowing," Ms Hugo said.
Beyond Broadmeadow, the Property Council says thousands of housing lots and hundreds of hectares of employment land across the Hunter and Central Coast remain constrained by transport and water and sewer delivery gaps.
It calls for a NSW Enabling Infrastructure Fund, starting with an initial allocation of $500 million, to clear backlogs and support forward funding for infrastructure in strategic growth areas and transport-oriented development precincts.
The Property Council's Hunter Outlook brings together industry leaders, government, and regional stakeholders to explore the outlook for housing delivery, industrial expansion, the energy transition, and the infrastructure pipeline.
Speakers include The Hon. Yasmin Catley MP, Minister for the Hunter, Dr John Mackenzie from the University of Newcastle's Institute for Regional Futures, Ashley Barnes, Head of Design at Icon, and Peter Macadam, Director in Charge Newcastle at Colliers. More details on the website.
