If there is one issue that continues to dominate conversations around the state, it is housing affordability and availability.
Western Australians rightly want to know why housing supply remains constrained and, more importantly, what needs to happen to deliver more homes where we need them.
While red tape, land supply and construction capacity often attract attention, one of the most critical pieces of the housing puzzle is infrastructure.
Water, power, sewerage and transport networks are the essential foundations that make new communities possible. Without this backbone infrastructure, housing projects simply cannot proceed, regardless of how much land is available or how quickly approvals are granted.
That is why UDIA WA is bringing together industry leaders, government agencies and infrastructure experts at our upcoming Infrastructure Summit to discuss how all stakeholders can work together to better plan, fund and deliver the enabling infrastructure needed to support housing growth.
The discussion comes at a time when WA continues to experience strong population and economic growth, which is driving demand for new homes. While governments at every level are seeking ways to increase housing supply, meeting lofty housing targets requires significant coordination between all levels of government and the development industry.
Our summit program will examine several key challenges, including strategic planning at a national and state level, the coordination of infrastructure delivery across government agencies, and the funding needed to support infrastructure delivery and ensure residential development remains viable.
Experts from the Productivity Commission, State Government agencies, utility providers and the private sector will all contribute to the conversation.
Importantly, the Infrastructure Summit will also see the launch of UDIA WA’s latest Enabling Infrastructure Requirements Report, which identifies the infrastructure needed in key growth areas across the Perth metropolitan area, and the resources needed to deliver it.
The reality is that housing delivery is a long-term game starting years before the first new home slab is poured.
When infrastructure is planned, funded and delivered well in advance of the development front, homes can be brought to market faster and more affordably.
For prospective homebuyers and renters, infrastructure policy may seem distant from everyday concerns, however in reality it is one of the most important factors influencing how quickly new homes can be delivered and what they ultimately cost.
That conversation starts with bringing the right people together to find practical solutions.
If you are interested in finding out more about the upcoming Infrastructure Summit, visit UDIA WA’s website.