TO COMBAT the housing crisis, Lake Macquarie council wants to relax rules that dictate the types of homes that can be built in certain areas.
This week, councillors gave the tick of approval to a proposal that's hoped to increase housing diversity across its suburbs.
Mayor Kay Fraser said change is necessary to tackle the escalating housing issue.
"Lake Macquarie needs to ensure housing supply caters for the needs of changing demographics and ensures affordable options are available now and into the future," she said.
"By 2036, couple families without children and lone person households will account for almost half of all households in our city.
"Allowing diverse and smaller homes supports more efficient use of infrastructure, development in residential zones, public transport viability and reduced living costs, ultimately increasing access to affordable housing."
At the moment, areas zoned as low density are mainly home to single dwellings and dual occupancies, while medium density zones have a mix of single dwellings and in areas like Warners Bay and Charlestown, apartments and multiple units.
A report to councillors argued that given the subtle difference between the two zones, the planning controls it had in place were "unnecessarily restrictive".
It said the intensity and character of developments can be managed through building heights, lot sizes, zone objectives and controls.
Under the changes, dual occupancies and semi-detached dwellings would be allowed in medium density zones.
In low density zones, people would be able to build attached dwellings, multi-dwelling housing and residential flat buildings.
A separate proposal to change the council's planning controls to clear the way for infill developments across the city was deferred on Monday night.
The move follows a written request from NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully in November last year, urging local governments to increase housing options and diversity in their areas.
The council will request a gateway determination from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, and if approved, the proposal will go on public exhibition.
