Wagga can't make 2050 population target without change: HIA

Designing A Future: A Focus On Regional Housing Solutions was attended by local leaders and housing industry representatives at the Riverine Club to discuss the solutions of the regional housing crisis.

The forum was organised by Committee 4 Wagga, and hosted by comedian Tim "Rosso" Ross - an architecture and design enthusiast, and host of Designing a Legacy.

Former Housing Industry Association (HIA) chair Tony Balding said the size and complexity of bureaucracy was making new builds nearly impossible for developers.

"We've heard about our shortcomings with our land supply, and all the issues that result in a shortage of land supply - constant bureaucracies, constant delays," he said.

"Whether you like it or not, you pay 42 per cent taxes and levies when you've just bought a new house from a greenfield site, to the time you turn your key in the house.

"One of the immediate actions we need to take is to stop the legislation going to housing and land development."

Mr Baldwin presented studies conducted by HIA showing Wagga is falling behind on developing housing for the future.

He said in order for Wagga to reach it's population target of 100,000 residents by 2050, council would have to accelerate the development applications process.

Mr Baldwin said in order to reach this population target and have everyone housed, 675 new builds would have to be approved each year.

The five year average in 2022 was 313 - less than half the number needed.

"We have to lobby, we have to push hard to say to these state level people in the department ... without that, we're looking at a real housing problem," he said.

Attitudes towards medium density housing in the regions were also flagged as a factor.

Chief economist for PRD Real Estate Diaswati Mardiasmo said research has shown people in cities are happier to live in apartments than people in the bush.

"In capital cities, there's definitely that sense of apartments can work. In regional areas, not so much. That's because of the deign of the apartments themselves," she said," she said.

"In a lot of the metro capital cities, apartments are becoming part of the master plan for the community, where you have the community spaces, the upper rooftops, the co-working space downstairs, the shared carpool.

"These types of designs are making apartment living a lot more attractive in the capital cities."

In Wagga's Southern Development Area, Devcore's Rowan Village is expected to create homes for around 2100 families.

The project seeks to make the medium density housing in the area more appealing by building amenities like parks, schools and shopping into the master plan.

Developments like this could decentralise the city in the long run, creating more local infrastructure for people in areas like Lake Albert.

Devcore managing director Paul Thompson said he wanted to change the Australian dream from home ownership to good living.

"What we've got to do today is make sure we can have a master plan that provides flexibility, and allows for the future housing needs to evolve to meet the demands we've all heard about from first home buyers, second home buyers right through to retirees," he said.

"We're looking forward to testing town housing, terraced housing, standard residential housing, seniors living ... we're really trying to push the bar in terms of diverse housing.

"When you going towards diverse housing, you have to increase the use of your open spaces and parks ... the village centre needs to be vibrant. To attract to diverse housing, you've got to make sure you've got the amenities there."