In its submission to Council's Housing Discussion Paper, the Property Council highlighted Cessnock's position as one of the fastest-growing local government areas in NSW, with the population expected to increase by more than 66 per cent to 112,500 by 2041.
Property Council Hunter and Central Coast Regional Director Nuatali Nelmes said it was a timely opportunity to reset the planning framework and deliver diverse homes for the whole community.
"Cessnock is booming but planning rules need to keep pace with that growth," Ms Nelmes said.
"We need to create clear pathways to bring new land online for housing, enable well-located lifestyle villages, and provide more diverse and affordable housing close to town centres. Without these changes, too many families will continue to be locked out of the housing market."
The Property Council's submission calls for Cessnock City Council to create a clear pathway through the Urban Growth Management Plan (UGMP) to consider additional rezonings.
"The UGMP only looks 15 years ahead, but Cessnock's growth will stretch decades into the future," Ms Nelmes said.
"Right now, the plan is too rigid. We need a safety valve that allows Council to consider well-located land where it meets rezoning principles and delivers real community benefit – whether that's more diverse and affordable housing, new biodiversity corridors, or quality public open space.
"This kind of flexibility will give Council the tools to respond to growth as it happens, instead of locking the community into settings that could fall short of what's needed," she said.
The submission also recommends:
- Expanding housing options by allowing multi-dwelling housing and residential flat buildings near existing centres.
- Supporting lifestyle villages and manufactured home estates in well-serviced locations.
- Safeguarding larger lots near centres to support future diversity of housing types.
- Recognising catalyst sites such as the Anambah to Branxton growth area, with capacity to deliver up to 15,000 homes over time.
"This is about giving Cessnock locals the housing options they need – whether that's a townhouse, an apartment, a retirement village, or a family home. Getting the planning settings right now means we can attract investment, create jobs, and deliver the housing supply that's critical to Cessnock and to the Hunter's future prosperity," Ms Nelmes said.
