The Government has ordered councils not to allow greenfields housing developments to sprawl out into highly productive farmlands, but also wants councils to open up more land for housing. Instead, the Government is simply ordering councils to allow more densification, without adequately funding the public transport or allowing for the NIMBY-fueled political backlash that is now consuming councils from the political ground up. Not allowing councils to build ‘out’ or helping them much to build ‘up’ is a recipe for yet more land price appreciation captured by today’s land owners. The problem for housing supply with this policy is it stops the easiest and most in-demand form of housing development, which is greenfields. For councils, this is another ‘lose-lose’ policy edict that underlines the magical thinking around housing supply throughout Government at all levels.

Source: Stuff September 19, 2022 22:52 UTC