The great Australian dream of owning your own home with a big backyard is slowly fading in Wagga, as Central homeowners wake up to changing attitudes and modern day living.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Census data shows block size in the city centre is gradually getting smaller, with “traditional” homes on big blocks ditched in favour of an assortment of villas, townhouses and units.
Planners acknowledge the trend is moving slowly – but confirm it exists as the city adopts the “cosmopolitan” way of living seen in major metropolitan centres.
The data, compiled by population experts id, on behalf of council, reveals the highest concentration of higher density housing is near Fitzmaurice Street.
High density housing in that zone increased by more than 10 per cent of total dwellings between 2006 and 2011.
The figures said other Central areas increased at a slower pace – but new data would show a sharper increase with a number of new high density developments due to crop up in coming years.
"People are slowly adjusting to their blocks getting smaller,” said Stephanie Anderson, of MJM Consulting Engineers. “I think people are finding it fits their lifestyle more and more – and in Wagga we’re definitely becoming more cosmopolitan – you only have to look at the number of coffee shops to see that it has changed.”
Council now enforces a minimum one dwelling per 300 square metres in specific areas, compared with the traditional 1000 square-metre block of days past.
Wagga mayor Rod Kendall – who has an engineering background – said council no longer wants low density housing in certain parts of the city centre.
“There’s been a general reduction in lot sizes in Wagga residential over the last 30 years,” he said. “It’s mirroring what’s happening in metropolitan Sydney and Melbourne.”
Councillor Kendall said council recently knocked back a Central development application because it wasn’t dense enough.
“That would have never happened 10 years ago," he said.
Ms Anderson said it was sometimes complex to garner council approval for compact sites. She said regulatory requirements such as overshadowing restrictions have traditionally impeded compact development.
The city is well-equipped to accommodate new population pressures that could arise from high density development, Cr Kendall said.