In good news for the retirement living and aged care industry in NSW, a new updated definition of Gross Floor Area (GFA) for seniors housing within Part 5 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (Housing SEPP) has been launched.

 "This update provides much-needed certainty and is a positive step for the industry's growth. It is planning reform that Ethos Urban is proud to have led in directly advocating for an emergency housekeeping amendment and then advising the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) on the best approach,” said Daniel West, Ethos Urban's Director of Planning, and a seniors' living specialist.

He said the catalyst to the change in the GFA definition was the assessment of an Ethos Urban seniors housing State Significant Development Application (SSDA), where DPE formed a position based on in-house legal advice that the former GFA definition within the Housing SEPP for seniors housing (section 82) was not applicable. Consequently, DPE’s position was that the GFA definition from the Standard Instrument Local Environmental Plan (LEP) must then be applied to all seniors housing developments. 

Ethos Urban advised the Housing Policy team at DPE advocating for an emergency Housekeeping Amendment to the Housing SEPP to ensure the GFA definition for seniors housing is clear, achieves its planning purpose and is beyond any legal doubt. 

"The DPE Housing Policy has entirely embraced our advice and recommendations, which has formed the new GFA definition,” Daniel said. 

Read the benefits to the changes here.