Proposed housing reforms don’t cater to car owners – report

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns’ new housing reforms could reportedly eliminate the space used for residential car parks – causing backlash from a state official.

In a planning document seen by newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Premier Minns' plans to build more than 375,000 homes over the next five years will reportedly “have a minimum of just 0.5 car parks per home” – leaving some future homeowners and residents without space for their vehicles.

The news outlet claimed planners are hoping this reform would lead to more on-street parking by reducing the space for driveways and private parking.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said the proposed housing plans don’t consider families who live in the suburbs and need their vehicles for daily transportation – as well as residents who rely on multiple vehicles rather than the "poor" public transport system found in parts of Western Sydney.

“How are you expecting people in Western Sydney who have large families to go to work and go out for a family day without a car?” Mayor Carbone said in a media statement.

“There’s no understanding of how families live out in the suburbs and the distance people travel which means they need a car.”

The report says the state government claimed these proposed housing reforms are planned to be constructed in areas “close to [train] stations and town centres” – where residents are more likely to rely on public transport.

NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully said this development plan was done to provide more housing opportunities for younger residents.

“We are introducing low to mid-rise housing reforms to create more diverse housing for young people, essential workers and families.

“If we don’t make these changes now, it will mean another generation of young people in Fairfield, in Sydney and the rest of NSW gets locked out of the housing market,” Minister Scully said in a media statement.