The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has commissioned URBIS to do a detailed study of the state by state planning regulations and score them in detail for development supportabilty.
It is another fact driven advocacy project to promote seniors accommodation as an essential component in every community.
RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon launched the national planning report card, Retirement Ready, at Ryman Healthcare’s development site for Essendon Terrace Retirement Village in Melbourne on Monday.
Demonstaring the development hurdles, Ryman bought the village in February 2021, along with an adjacent site for expansion. Ryman had to wait 2.5 years to receive development approval, which has resulted in a 4.5 year gap between buying this site and the commencement of construction in 2025.
Retirement Ready, by Urbis, found 23% of retirement living development applications take more than two years. It is 33% in NSW.
“In many ways, this report card represents a ‘fail’ for most jurisdictions that are seemingly ignoring Australia’s demographic changes and what it means for housing supply,” Daniel (pictured) said.
“It’s now clear that planning systems aren’t ‘retirement ready’ at the same time that 710,000 Australians are preparing to retire within the next five years.”
The RLC said it is imperative for:
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Minimum land allocations for the development of retirement communities in under-supplied areas;
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Significant zoning or development bonuses to be offered to provide incentives for the development of retirement villages, similar to those given to social and affordable housing;
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State governments establish policies for increasing age-friendly developments by introducing targets in strategic regional and metropolitan plans, and
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Planning authorities to work with the secor to identify high-need locations and ageing hot spots.
“Governments are crying out for more housing supply while at the same time holding it back. You can’t make this stuff up,” Daniel said.
“More red tape and complexity in planning systems won’t help build the homes that older Australians need, but they can dampen supply very easily.
“Given the proven benefits that age-friendly communities deliver for older Australians, governments should be throwing the kitchen sink at approving more of them – and fast.”
